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Assam Congress files police complaint against Himanta for alleged ‘hate speech’
Lodging a complaint at the Nazira Police Station in Sivasagar district on Wednesday evening, Congress leader and the leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia said that the Assam CM, in his speech on September 19 in MP, suggested that 10, Janpath should be burned
The Congress on Wednesday filed a complaint against Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his alleged ‘hate speech’ during a rally organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh, earlier this week.
Lodging a complaint at the Nazira Police Station in Sivasagar district on Wednesday evening, Congress leader and the leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia said that the Assam CM, in his speech on September 19 in MP, suggested that 10, Janpath should be burned.
10, Janpath is the resident of former Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
“Sarma has directly suggested that 10, Janpath should be burnt down, which is the residence of former President of the Indian National Congress, Sonia Gandhi. By suggesting that, Sarma has tried to instigate an attack on a 77-year-old lady, who happens to be the widow of the former prime minister,” Saikia said.
“I am constrained to lodge this FIR (first information report) on account of the banal and hateful statement given by Sri Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Chief Minister of Assam on 19.09.2023 during the Jan Ashirwad rally in Vidhisha district, Madhya Pradesh,” mentioned the complaint.
“In a country governed by the rule of law, Sri Sarma has taken electoral rhetoric to its ugliest form. While taunting Sri Kamal Nath, a prominent member of the Indian National Congress about his Hindu identity, Sri Sarma has directly suggested that 10, Janpath should be burnt,” the complaint further reads.
He said that such wanton statements coming from a constitutional authority like the chief minister, have the potential of influencing misguided people to resort to violence and cause harm to the residents of 10, Janpath.
“This is a clear instigation towards rioting and abetment of arson on the part of Himanta Biswa Sarma and legal actions should be taken against him,” Saikia said.
According to him, the Assam Chief Minister is liable to be booked under section 153 (provocation), sections 115 (abetment of an offence) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Sharing a copy of the complaint on micro-blogging platform X (formerly Twitter) Saikia said that the chief minister should be ashamed for resorting to hate speech & inciting violence.
“Though the statement was made in Madhya Pradesh, it has been widely circulated over the print, electronic and social media which are accessible in Assam. Therefore, I implore you to register an FIR and take necessary action in this regard,” Saikia wrote in this complaint.
According to the officials aware of the matter, the Sivasagar Police has received the complaint, however, no FIR has been filed.
HT reached out to the superintendent of police of Sivasagar district Subhrajyoti Borah, but he didn’t respond to the calls.
