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Rahul Gandhi says won't be intimidated as row with Himanta Sarma govt escalates
Rahul Gandhi was booked by the Assam Police over charges of violence, provocation, damage to public property on Wednesday.
A day after he was booked by the Assam Police for allegedly provoking the crowd during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday dared the Himanta Biswa Sarma government to file “as many cases as it can”.
Addressing his first public meeting on the 7th day of Yatra in Barpeta district, the Congress leader again criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and termed him the "most corrupt CM" of the country with a series of allegations related to land and areca nut.
“I don't know how Himanta Biswa Sarma got the idea that he can intimidate me by filing cases. File as many cases as you can. File 25 more cases, I am not going to be intimidated. BJP-RSS can't intimidate me,” Rahul Gandhi said.
The Assam Police on Wednesday booked Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Kanhaiya Kumar over charges of violence, provocation, damage to public property and assault on police personnel.
This was after the showdown between the BJP-led Assam government and Rahul Gandhi intensified on Tuesday. The Congress workers were stopped from entering Guwahati city, resulting in clashes between the cadre and police
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed the state director general of police (DGP) to register a case against the Congress MP for allegedly ‘provoking crowd’. "Naxalite tactics" were alien to Assam's culture," the chief minister had said in a post on social platform X.
Also Read | ‘Because of Assam CM’s popularity': Union minister says Rahul Gandhi ‘lost his calm’
On Wednesday, during his Yatra, Gandhi alleged that a series of corruption is taking place in Assam and termed Sarma as the "most corrupt CM" in the country.
"While he (Sarma) speaks to you, he steals your land. While you chew betel nut, he corners the supari business. He steals money from your pocket. He has taken land in Kaziranga National Park also", the Congress leader alleged.
Further referring to the media conglomerate owned by the wife of Assam Chief Minister, Gandhi alleged that TV media shows what Sarma wants in the state.
Also Read | ‘Because of Assam CM’s popularity': Union minister says Rahul Gandhi ‘lost his calm’
"Sarma is controlled by Amit Shah. If anyone says anything against Amit Shah, he is thrown out by Sarma within two minutes. Tarun Gogoi was also a CM, but he did what Assam wanted. Tarun Gogoi was my guru, but I never told him what to do", he claimed.
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that Gandhi “fled" from Guwahati city after instigating Congress workers.
“Interesting. After instigating Congress workers to orchestrate violence, Rahul Gandhi (who is on a bus yatra) quietly came out of his fancy bus and fled the city in a small car to Hajo , his next destination. Rahul has set a new standard for being a Darpok. Ha ha,” the chief minister wrote on X.
