Lockdown 3.0: Congress MLA in Assam booked for travelling without approval

Abul Kalam Rasheed Alam, the legislator from Goalpara East said he had to rush to Guwahati for the treatment of his pregnant wife.

Police in Assam’s Goalpara district have lodged an FIR on Wednesday against an opposition Congress MLA for alleged violation of lockdown norms to check the spread of Covid-19.

Police said the MLA did not take the district administration’s permission to travel from Goalpara to Guwahati.(ANI)

The case against Abul Kalam Rasheed Alam, the legislator from Goalpara East, has been registered for allegedly travelling from Goalpara, which is in orange zone, to Guwahati last week without seeking permission from district authorities.

“We got to know from news reports that the MLA had left Goalpara without taking necessary permission from the deputy commissioner. Hence, a case under provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 has been lodged against him for lockdown violation,” said Amitabh Basumatary, additional superintendent of police (head quarter), Goalpara.

Alam maintains that he had to rush to Guwahati for better treatment for his wife who is in her seventh month of pregnancy. He said that the case against him was politically motivated.

“I came to Guwahati last week as my wife had some medical complication and needed better treatment. Her treatment is still underway in Guwahati. Since it’s a health emergency, there should be relaxation for it. What is the need for permission and other formalities at such times?” questioned Alam.

The legislator who is still in Guwahati said the case against him could be politically motivated and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party could be targeting him as he had highlighted problems faced by people in his constituency due to the lockdown and urged Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to address them through a press meet.

Alam had been placed under quarantine for two weeks in April after a visit to Delhi in March.

Assam has recorded 80 Covid-19 positive cases, including 15 new cases on Wednesday. While 2 patients have died, 40 have recovered and 38 others are under treatment.

At present, only three of Assam’s 33 districts—Goalpara, Dhubri and Morigaon - are under orange zone. All others are in the green zone.