Congress leaders arrested in Guwahati amid protests

Guwahati, Dec 20: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Bora and several senior Congress leaders were arrested on Tuesday while marching on Hatigaon Road towards Janata Bhawan in Guwahati. The protests were a part of a demonstration against the death of Congress worker Mridul Islam, who died in a recent Raj Bhawan Cholo protest organized by the Assam Congress.

The detained leaders included Bhupen Bora, 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. Condemning the police action, APCC Media Department Chairman Bedabrat Bora said, “Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma has exposed his cowardice by trying to intimidate Congress leaders and workers who are trying to crush the democratic movement.”

Preventive Custody for Youth Congress Leaders

In a separate incident, Indian Youth Congress (IYC) President Uday Bhanu Chib and several national and state office bearers were detained by Assam Police today morning. Security personnel reportedly stormed a city-based hotel in Guwahati, taking the leaders into preventive custody and confiscating 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,” said a statement from the IYC President’s office.

Chib also questioned the Chief Minister’s intent, stating, “What is Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma hiding? Who got Congress worker Mridul Islam murdered? Under which law were we arrested like terrorists after barging into the hotel at 5 in the morning?”

The Guwahati City Police earlier registered a suo-moto case in connection with the law and order situation arising from the Raj Bhawan Cholo protest on December 18.

APCC’s Response

The Congress condemned the arrests and prohibitory orders, accusing the state government of suppressing democratic rights. APCC President Bhupen Bora said, “We were peacefully heading towards Janata Bhawan to demand justice and a judicial inquiry, but the police detained us to stifle our voices.”

As the issue continues to spark widespread condemnation, the Assam Pradesh Congress has vowed to intensify its demonstrations against the government’s actions.