Guwahati, Oct 19 (PTI) The opposition Congress in Assam claimed that the police on Saturday stopped the party activists from marching towards Rupahihat police station in Nagaon district to protest against the alleged attack on them by BJP workers on October 15.
According to Congress state president Bhupen Borah, the party had planned to stage a protest in front of the police station against the alleged attack on opposition party workers and the failure of the police to take action against the attackers while campaigning for the by-polls in the Samaguri assembly constituency.
The party leaders, including Nagaon and Dhubri MPs Pradyut Bordoloi and Rakibul Hussain, respectively, along with MLAs Sibamoni Bora and Nurul Huda, had gathered before the Rupahihat block Congress office before marching towards the police station.
A police officer, however, said that the party did not take prior permission to take out a procession.
Heavy security was deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident, the officer said.
Congress MLA Nurul Huda, however, claimed that they had sent a letter to the district commissioner seeking permission to march towards the police station.
The party leaders addressed the workers outside the Congress office, alleging that the Nagaon Superintendent of Police’s duty was to ensure that Samaguri by-polls held peacefully, but he was acting on the behest of the ruling BJP.
Borah said the ruling BJP should not underestimate the power of the common people. It was evident from the Lok Sabha polls as the Congress retained the Nagaon seat for the second consecutive term this year.
“We do not want to go into any confrontation with the authorities. But we will assert our democratic rights to protest against police inaction at the direction of the ruling party,” he said.
The Congress has also written a letter to the Election Commission of India alleging that members of the ruling party had attacked the convoy of the opposition party MLAs and their workers on Tuesday in Rupahihat when they had taken out a procession for campaigning for the Samaguri Legislative assembly which fell vacant with the election of its sitting MLA to the Lok Sabha from Dhubri.
They had also demanded the transfer of Nagaon Superintendent Police and Officers-in-Charge (OCs)of two police stations for allegedly not taking action against some members of the ruling BJP who they claimed were responsible for the previous day’s clashes.
A clash broke out between Congress and BJP workers in Rupahihat on Tuesday in which a few people from both sides were injured in the scuffle.
The BJP leaders, on the other hand, had alleged that the Dhubri MP had brought goons from outside who went on a rampage, tearing the saffron party’s posters and banners along with attacking workers of the ruling party.
The by-elections to five Assam assembly constituencies, including Samaguri, will be held on November 13. PTI DG SBN DG SBN
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