‘They’re trying to create problems’: Congress says police mute as crowd waving saffron flags interrupts yatra route in Assam

A day after vehicles involved in theCongress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra faced attempted attacks in Assam’s Sonitpur district, a large crowd wielding saffron flags gathered on Monday along a road that is part of the yatra’s route in Morigaon district’s Jagiroad.

“They have totally blocked the entire road… They are shouting slogans, at times some that are very communally provocative, but police have been mute spectators,” Nagaon MP Prodyut Bordoloi told The Indian Express.

“I spoke to the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police, and they gave me assurances. But in terms of action, I have not seen anything. They (the flag-wielding crowd) have totally blocked the road and are shouting communally provocative slogans. They are actually trying to create some problems.”

He said he had assured the local administration that Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the yatra, would not get down from the bus and that the yatra would pass through peacefully. “We have no intention of accosting them (the crowd),” he said.

The yatra is scheduled to pass through this area en route to Jorabat on the Assam-Meghalaya border.

On Sunday, a crowd wielding BJP flags gathered at a point in Sonitpur’s Jamugurihat through which the yatra was passing and allegedly attempted to attack vehicles travelling in the convoy. Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah suffered injuries to his face while confronting the crowd, and other party leaders alleged that their car windows were rattled and stickers torn.

On Monday morning, Rahul was stopped for over two hours at Haibargaon in Assam’s Nagaon, when the yatra was blockaded on the way to Batadrava Than.