News Analysis India

Tag: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

  • Rahul Gandhi to be arrested after Lok Sabha elections: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, against whom an FIR has been registered here on the charge of instigating violence will be arrested after the Lok Sabha elections, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday. The Assam police suo motu registered the FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders for “wanton acts of violence” here during the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ on Tuesday.

    ”We have filed an FIR. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) will conduct the investigation and he (Gandhi) will be arrested after the Lok Sabha elections”, Sarma said on the sidelines of a programme at Nazira in Sibsagar district.

    The Lok Sabha elections are due within a few months in the country. Director General of Police G P Singh said that the case has been transferred to the Assam CID for a thorough investigation through an SIT to be constituted by the Additional Director General of Police (CID).

    Sarma had instructed the DGP to register a case against Gandhi for provoking the crowd to break barricades in an attempt to enter Guwahati city during the Yatra on Tuesday leading to a scuffle with the police in which some senior Congress leaders, including the state party President Bhupen Bora and leader of opposition in the state assembly, and four police personnel were injured.

    The FIR was filed against Congress leaders under IPC sections that deal with criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting, assault or criminal force to deter public servants from discharging their duty, damaging public property and others.

  • Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cannot move from the middle of Guwahati city: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

    Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that it is made clear that Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cannot move from the middle of Guwahati city and if the same is not complied government will file case and ensure two or three leaders are brought to Assam by the police.

    Sarma on Thursday said, “We will give all the necessary permission for the rally however if they insist on going right from the middle of Guwahati city, we will not arrange for police security. If they do so we will register a case of violation and after elections will arrest them. There is a medical college here and people will really dislike them if they move through the middle of Guwahati.”

    Sarma said, “Those who break the law, we will not show off; however after one or two months, two people, one which include former personnel of SPG will be arrested. They will be the government’s guest if they violate this. We may even arrest them from Siliguri in West Bengal.” He said it is not a Nyay rally but a Miya rally.” In those places where there are Miyas there will be people in the rally and in the places where there is no Miya there will be no crowd. Even Women from the Miya community will not come, only some men from the community will turn up.

    Former Youth Congress leader Angkita Dutta who alleged harassment and gender discrimination Youth Congress president Srinivas BV had moved court. She protested on Thursday seeking justice for herself. On April 19 last year, she was expelled from Assam Youth Congress.

    Sarma said, “From Congress no one can expect justice, what to expect from them as 900 people were killed in Assam Agitation, they bombed the Aizawl.” The chief minister said that the Gandhi family is the most corrupt family in the country. “From Bofors deal to ensuring safe passage to Warren Martin Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide Corporation plant in Bhopal, Gandhi’s corruption is everywhere. In fact, this family is not originally Gandhi, they are duplicate. In case of duplicate license, one is arrested however I do not know what the consequences are of having a duplicate surname, that is why they are roaming around.” Bengali speaking Muslims are often referred as Miya Muslims. Muslims comprise 34% of the 3.12 crore population of Assam, of which 4% are indigenous Assamese Muslims and the remaining mostly Bengali-speaking Muslims.

  • No nod sought: CM Sarma on Congress charge that BJP govt trying to block Yatra in Assam

    Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that the state government hasn’t been approached for necessary permission for Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

    Sarma told media persons here: “There is no harm in giving permission as the state government always welcomes tourists. However, rally cannot be allowed through school premises and Guwahati city. The rally can move through highways.”

    The yatra is scheduled to commence from Imphal on January 14 and then enter Assam on january 18.On Wednesday, Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah had alleged that BJP-led government was trying to block the yatra in the state.

    “In Jorhat, we have not been granted permission to use a field to park our containers. We have not been given ROROs to travel across the Brahmaputra River to Majuli island,” he said.

    Responding to the charge, Sarma said, “I asked the chief secretary if permission has been sought… But I have been told that no such process has been followed.”

  • People in my constituency are poor, so I joined BJP: Ex-AIUDF leader Phanidhar Talukdar

    By ANI

    GUWAHATI: Phanidhar Talukdar, who joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said that the poverty of his constituency made him join the ruling government party in Assam.

    “People in my constituency are poor. How long will I be in opposition and how it is going to benefit people of my area? So I joined BJP,” said Bhabanipur MLA Phanidhar Talukdar while speaking to ANI.

    Citing the reason for his leaving All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), he said: “I left AIUDF to work with the Chief Minister. There is no issue with AIUDF but I was hoping that they’ll be part of the government.”

    Earlier in the day, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed Phanidhar Talukdar into the BJP.

    “The faith of leaders across political spectrum in Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to grow. Happy to have met honourable MLA of Bhabanipur Phanidhar Talukdar, who resigned from AIUDF and will join BJP later today. I welcome him to our Pariwaar,” Sarma said.

    The sitting MLA from Badruddin Ajmal’s AIUDF quit the party on Tuesday. He had contested the state assembly polls early this year on an AIUDF ticket. 

  • Mizoram to withdraw FIR lodged against Assam CM Himanta

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: The Mizoram government will withdraw the FIR lodged against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in connection with the July 26 incident on the interstate border that left six Assam Police personnel dead and scores others injured.

    Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo on Sunday said the government would “relook” at the FIR lodged against the Assam CM.

    He said Chief Minister Zoramthanga did not approve of the inclusion of Sarma’s name in the FIR. He said he too was not aware of Sarma’s name being included in the FIR before it was lodged.

    Apart from Sarma, four police officers and two administrative officers from Assam were named in the FIR. They were asked to depose before the investigating officer at Mizoram’s Vairengte police station on Sunday.

    The Mizoram chief secretary said Zoramthanga had suggested a relook at the FIR. He said after consulting the police officer concerned, Sarma’s name would be removed from the FIR if there were no “legal hitches”.

    The Assam CM said he would not mind his arrest if that solved the border problem.

    “I have to protect my officers. I will not allow my officers to be arrested or taken away. We will not accept that notice (summons to six officers by Mizoram Police). But if a notice is issued to me, I will go to Vairengte and join the investigation,” Sarma told journalists in Guwahati.

    He continued: “I will say if my arrest solves the problem, why not arrest me today itself. I am not going to seek interim bail from the Gauhati High Court. But we will not allow our officers to be investigated when the place of occurrence is within the state of Assam.”

    He reiterated that the July 26 incident be investigated by a third party – the National Investigation Agency or a central government agency. He said the probe was needed as six persons had lost their lives and their families might want to know the truth – what exactly happened on that fateful day.

    Sarma also said it would be better if there was a decision on the border disputes on how the two states should live in the future. He said the Centre could take the lead in this regard. At the same time, he stressed on dialogues.

    “Our main focus is on keeping the spirit of North-East alive. What happened along the Assam-Mizoram border is unacceptable to the people of both states. Honble CM @ZoramthangaCM had promised to call me post his quarantine. Border disputes can only be resolved through discussion,” Sarma tweeted.

    Zoramthanga said he had discussed the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Sarma over the phone on Sunday.

    “As per telephonic discussion with Union Home Minister and Assam Chief Minister, we agreed to resolve the Mizoram-Assam border issue amicably through meaningful dialogue,” he tweeted.

    He requested the people of Mizoram to avoid posting sensitive messages and make judicious use of the social media platform in order to prevent any possible escalation of the situation. Later, he deleted the tweet.

    Chuaungo said the state government had taken up the issue of blockade in Assam, which choked supplies to Mizoram, with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). He was confident the MHA would be able to convince the Assam government to lift the blockade.

    It was imposed by some organisations in Assam’s Cachar and Hailakandi districts. Mizoram relies on supplies that come through National Highway 306.

  • Resolve Mizoram-Assam border tension amicably, Amit Shah tells CMs of Assam and Mizoram

    By PTI
    AIZAWL: Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Mizoram CM Zoramthanga over the phone on Sunday to defuse the border tension between the two Northeastern states.

    During the phone call, it was decided to resolve the border issue amicably through meaningful dialogue, Zoramthanga said.

    “As per telephonic discussion with Union Home Minister and Assam Chief Minister, we agreed to resolve the Mizoram-Assam border issue amicably through meaningful dialogue,” he tweeted.

    Zoramthanga also urged the people of Mizoram to refrain from posting provocative messages and misuse of social media in order to de-escalate the ongoing tension.

    “In the meantime, in order to prevent any possible escalation of the situation, I request the people of Mizoram to avoid posting sensitive messages and make judicious use of social media platform,” he said.

    Tension continued at the border areas after the violent clash that took place near Vairengte town in Mizoram’s Kolasib district on July 26, leaving at least seven people from Assam, including six police personnel, dead.

    The Centre has deployed around five companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CRPF) to defuse tension.