Cong condemns attack on Yatra, accuses BJP of trampling rights

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday condemned the attack on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam “by BJP goons” and accused the ruling party in the state of seeking to “trample and demolish” every right and justice guaranteed by the Constitution to the people of India.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the party will not be cowed down by such tactics aimed at intimidating its workers and leaders.

“We strongly condemn the shameful attack on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra vehicles and tearing of the Congress party’s banners and posters by BJP goons in Lakhimpur, Assam,” he said in a post on X.

“In the last 10 years, the BJP has attempted to trample and demolish every right and justice guaranteed by the Constitution to the people of India. It wants to subjugate their voices, thereby hijacking democracy,” he added.

Kharge said the Congress will not be cowed down by this tactic of attack and intimidation “by the BJP government in Assam, which is responsible for this”.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal also shared a video of the purported attack and said, “Want more evidence of how scared ‘MostCorrupt’ CM Himanta is of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra? Look at his goons vandalise our Congress posters and vehicles!”

“He’s so rattled because of the huge impact the Yatra is making, he will stoop to any level,” he said.

The Congress alleged that banners and posters welcoming its ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ to Assam’s North Lakhimpur town, through which it will pass on Saturday,

have been vandalised.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not want the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to succeed and that is why Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was creating difficulties for it, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference at Gobindapur in Lakhimpur district, he alleged that Sarma was trying to give a communal colour to the programme.

“The CM is following the Prime Minister. The PM doesn’t want the Yatra to be successful, to be welcomed. Who is Himanta Biswa Sarma? He is a puppet, everything that is happening is being done by the ‘ahangkarcharya’ (proud person),” Ramesh alleged.

“The one-point agenda of the chief minister is to give a communal colour to the Yatra. But he has got it totally wrong. Wherever the Yatra is going, people from all sections are welcoming Rahul Gandhi,” he claimed.

After three days in Assam, the Yatra entered Arunachal Pradesh. It will resume its Assam leg on Sunday and travel through the state till January 25. Rahul Gandhi was received by Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Nabam Tuki at the Gumto check gate in Papum Pare district, where the flag handover ceremony was held.

The flag handover ceremony was held between Tuki and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Borah in the presence of senior party leaders from

both the states.