The Assam PCC on Thursday approached director-general of police Kuladhar Saikia, seeking action against the attackers on a convoy of the party’s Samaguri MLA Rakibul Hussain and Rupahihat MLA Nurul Huda in central Assam’s Nagaon district on Wednesday.
Five persons, including Huda’s driver and bodyguard, were injured when a group of BJP supporters allegedly pelted stones on the convoy of the two MLAs at Boroma under Samaguri police station in the district. The MLAs, however, remained unscathed.
Huda later filed an FIR at Samaguri police station against 13 BJP workers. An injured BJP worker also filed a counter FIR against Hussain and six others, alleging that Hussain’s bodyguards had hindered the Vijay Utsav the BJP workers organised on Wednesday on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in.
Hussain and Huda were returning after attending a party meeting organised on the party’s preparedness to felicitate newly elected Kaliabor MP Gaurav Gogoi and Nowgong MP Pradyut Bordoloi.
The delegation, which met Saikia included Hussain, Assam PCC president Ripun Bora and leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia among others.
Hussain told the DGP that the attackers want to put restraint on his movement so that he cannot work actively for the party that won the Nowgong and Kaliabor seats in the Lok Sabha election. Party leaders attribute the win largely to the hard work of Hussain and Huda.
“The BJP leaders are finding it difficult to accept the Congress’s win in Nowgong and Kaliabor. That is why we are being targeted,” Hussain told reporters after meeting the DGP.
“If the attackers are not punished, I will be targeted again elsewhere,” he said, adding that Congress workers will not be frightened by such incidents and approach people with more energy.
Peasant rights group Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) condemned the attack saying the incident reflects the BJP’s “political intolerance” and oppressive attitude.
“BJP workers, through political violence in front of police, are trying to create a fascist and undemocratic atmosphere in the state,” a statement of the organisation said. KMSS demanded punishment for the persons involved in the violence.
