Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has informed that an FIR has been officially registered against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, along with party General Secretary KC Venugopal, National Students' Union of India All India Congress Committee Incharge Kanhaiya Kumar, and several others.
CM Sarma, addressing the recent incidents of violence, provocation, damage to public property, and assaults on police personnel by Congress members, stated in ‘X’, " With reference to wanton acts of violence, provocation, damage to public property and assault on police personnel today by Cong members, a FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal , Kanhaiya Kumar and other individuals under section 120(B)143/147/188/283/353/332/333/427 IPC R/W Sec. 3 of PDPP Act.”
The decision to file the FIR comes in the wake of a statement made by the Assam Chief Minister earlier, indicating that the state police would initiate a criminal case against Rahul Gandhi and subsequently arrest him post the Lok Sabha election. The backdrop to this action lies in a clash between Congress workers and the police in the Khanapara area.
CM Sarma alleged that Rahul Gandhi attempted to enter Guwahati with a convoy comprising around 3000 people and 200 vehicles. He emphasized the potential ramifications, stating, "We can imagine what would have been the situation if 3000 people and 200 vehicles had entered Guwahati. For six days, we were telling him to go by the route they are comfortable with but not to go through the middle route of Guwahati. Even after saying this, they (Congress workers) clashed with the police."
The Chief Minister, providing insight into the future course of action, declared that a criminal case would be registered against Rahul Gandhi. However, he clarified that the arrest would not be immediate but deferred until after the Lok Sabha election.
He accused Gandhi of instigating the incident by standing in a vehicle, saying, "Rahul Gandhi had been instigating the entire incident by standing in the vehicle. We will register a criminal case against Rahul Gandhi. Police will inquire and will take action as per law. We will not arrest him yet; we will arrest him after the Lok Sabha election."
Rahul Gandhi, leading the party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, encountered clashes with Assam Police as the Yatra approached Guwahati city. The Yatra is slated to move forward to Barpeta and Bongaingaon, with a public meeting scheduled in the evening at Dhubri.
