Problem for Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi seems to be far from over with his detractors within the party led by health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday threatening to resign if a Congress legislator, who is alleged to have assaulted a police driver, is arrested.
The problem started on Friday when a constable, who was allegedly assaulted by Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi on Tuesday, filed an FIR, which was registered by Jorhat police under non-bailable sections of IPC. Police constable Kamal Mohan who claimed to have been assaulted by MLA and his PSOs, is undergoing treatment at Jorhat Medical College Hospital for head injuries. The Congress legislator Mr Kurmi who has been in the news for quite sometime now for acts that have attracted strong public criticism in the home district of chief minister, alleged that a police driver blocked the road when his vehicle was crossing. Mr Kurmi allegedly hit Mohan with a helmet.
The parliamentary secretary Etwa Munda who is also the in-charge of the home department visited Jorhat to take stock of the situation on Friday and announced that law will take its own course.
Jorhat Superintendent of Police Sanjukta Parashar who was also present in the press conference said that police was looking for the legislator who assaulted the driver. “We will arrest him but presently he is absconding,” she said.
Immediately after news was flashed, the dissident leaders and minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called on AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam C P Joshi to register his protest. Sources in the dissident camp claimed that Mr Sarma has also threatened that at least 30 MLAs would reign if police arrest Mr Kurmi. When contacted Mr Sarma however refused to say anything on record but the active members of his camp and MLAs Pradhan Baruah, Chandan Sarkar, Piyush Hazarika and Subodh Malla Baruah went on record saying that more than 30 MLAs would resign if Mr Kurmi is arrested.
The MLA Baruah also referred a statement of Assam DGP Jayanta Narayan Choudhury flashed on a television channel saying that there was no evidence to corroborate charges against the MLA. The Assam DGP in an interview to media had said, “As of now there is no evidence against MLA. If something comes in investigation, we will take action.” It is alleged that a section of media, lifted half sentence of the DGP’s remark saying, “There is no evidence against the legislator.” The remarks of dissident MLAs in the local media has not only surcharged the political atmosphere of the state but also increased the bitterness in the ruling party. However, chief minister Tarun Gogoi was maintaining a silence over the remarks of Congress legislators in the media. Assam Youth Congress president and MLA Piyush Hazarika said, “One doesn’t know who is running the home department. We will not hesitate in sacrificing our membership if action is taken against Mr Kurmi.”
It is significant that behavior of Mr Kurmi has been crticised very strongly by the civil society of Jorhat district. (EOM)