Assam cabinet directs DGP to book Congress leaders over 'indecent' rally gesture

Guwahati, Feb 7: The Assam cabinet has directed the police to register a case against senior Congress leaders Debabrata Saikia, Bhupen Kumar Borah and Mira Borthakur for alleged indecent gestures towards women during a recent rally, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He said the cabinet has decided to direct the Director General of Police to register a criminal case against them under appropriate legal provisions.

"The gesture was a collective insult to women of Assam. I have seen their body language, it was so bad. No normal politician or gentlemen will gesture to any woman in that manner," Sarma said, briefing the press at the end of a cabinet meeting on Saturday.

Sarma claimed that a questionable hand gesture was made in Guwahati a couple of days ago from atop a bus being used by the Congress for its ongoing state-wide rally.

Claiming that it was a gesture towards all Assamese girls and women, he said, "If the party doesn't expel them, I don't think they will be able to go anywhere. It is about all women, not about any 'jati' (community)."

The Chief Minister also said that he has asked officials concerned to send the video clip to the women's commission so that cognisance is taken of it.

"I can't even imagine a leader of the opposition, a former party president making such gestures, that too, when Mira Borthakur was with them," he said.

Dismissing the allegation, Saikia said the Chief Minister should concentrate on the "many problems" the state is facing.

"I don't know how he can say something like this. I don't know what he keeps thinking. Nothing like what he is trying to say had happened. There was some conversation going on, and I had only laughed," Saikia said.

PTI