Congress leaders detained during protest in Guwahati over death of party worker

Several Congress leaders in Assam were detained while participating in a protest march on Hatigaon Road towards Janata Bhawan in Guwahati. The march was organized to demand justice for Mridul Islam, a Congress worker who died during the Raj Bhawan Cholo protest earlier this month.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused a few Congress leaders of attempting to create law and order issues, claiming they were trying to escalate tensions in Guwahati. "A couple of Congress leaders are trying to create problems," Sarma said, adding that the protest was part of an effort to incite violence.

Among those detained by the police were Congress State Unit President Bhupen Borah, Executive President Zakir Hussain, former APCC President Ripun Bora, APCC Social Media Chairman Ratul Kalita, and MLA Diganta Burman. They were taken to the 10th Police Battalion in Kahilipara for questioning.


In a separate incident, Indian Youth Congress (IYC) President Uday Bhanu Chib and several national and state office bearers were also taken into preventive custody by Assam Police. Security personnel reportedly raided a hotel in Guwahati early in the morning, where the IYC leaders were staying, and confiscated their mobile phones.

"This morning, I and other Youth Congress colleagues were detained from a hotel in Guwahati as if we were terrorists. Our mobile phones have been confiscated. We came here to seek justice for martyr Mridul Islam, but the murderous Assam Police will not accept this," Chib said in a statement. He also raised concerns about the Chief Minister's actions, asking, "What is Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hiding? Who got Congress worker Mridul Islam murdered? Under which law would we be arrested like terrorists after barging into the hotel at 5 in the morning?"

The protest, which was part of the ongoing agitation by the Congress party, comes after a suo-motu case was registered by Guwahati City Police regarding the law-and-order situation that emerged from the December 18 Raj Bhawan Cholo protest.

Chief Minister Sarma responded, alleging that Congress leaders were competing to be seen as the biggest leaders and, in doing so, were holding the people of Guwahati hostage. He added, "They want to create trouble in Guwahati, and we will ensure that there is no trouble here."