Assam: 100 eminent voices condemn attacks on Rahul Gandhi, Nyay Yatra

Yesterday, 25 January, several regional newspapers reported that 100 eminent personalities, including renowned intellectuals of the state, came together to condemn the Assam government’s repeated attempts to disrupt the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY) and attack Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the state.

In the letter, reproduced by NewsClick in an article, prominent personalities say, "We condemn the attack on Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and the behaviour of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma."

The Nyay Yatra completed its eight-day sojourn in the state yesterday on Day 12 and entered Bengal. During its time in Assam, it faced repeated obstacles.

BJP party workers surrounded the Yatra vehicle, hitting Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's car at one point.

At another, permission to enter a temple was denied—when arrangements had already been made many days in advance. According to media reports, Congress leaders— including state president Bhupen Borah—were manhandled by the police. On the penultimate day, FIRs were registered against Gandhi—first, it was reported, due to damaging public property; then, per later reports, for violence!

Prominent personalities in the state condemned the incidents and they came together and signed a letter on the attack.

In a letter received by NewsClick, prominent personalities say, "We condemn the attack on Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and the behaviour of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. We also appeal to Rahul Gandhi and all the participants of the Yatra to remain peaceful and non-violent and never get exercised by such provocations."

"The Yatra started peacefully from troubled Manipur. It passed peacefully through Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh without any interruption.  But, it was only in Assam that the Yatra was repeatedly attacked," the letter stated. 

The statement is reproduced in full below:

We condemn the attack on Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and the behaviour of Assam Chief Minister

Rahul Gandhi started the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur. 

Some people may support this and some other people may not. But nobody should try to stop this peaceful Yatra.

But, when the Yatra entered Assam, the government of Assam tried everything to create obstructions to it. In some places, it was even attacked by some miscreants. They vandalised the vehicles of the journalists accompanying the Yatra and snatched their cameras. Congress President Bhupen Bora was physically assaulted at Sonitpur. While all this was happening, police remained silent spectators. 

We condemn the attacks on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and demand of the government that those who indulged in it should be arrested and punished as per the provision of law. 

We also appeal to Rahul Gandhi and all the participants of the Yatra to remain peaceful and non-violent and never get exercised by such provocations. 

A few days ago, the chief minister of Assam also publicly insulted Dr Hiren Gohain, an eminent scholar and intellectual, by using most objectionable language against him. 

He also threatened actions against Dr Akhil Ranjan Dutta, a professor of Gauhati University, for expressing his views on the matter.

To us, the language and behaviour of the chief minister are most shocking. Freedom of speech is crucial for a person. This is a universal right and fundamental for democracy. 

We are saddened by the behaviour of the chief minister and we strongly disapprove of it.

Dr Nagen Saikia,

Sri Kulada Kr Bhattacharjya,

Sri Harekrishna Deka,

Sri Haidar Hussain,

Sri Apurba Sarma,

Sri Kulendu Pathak,

Dr Tapodhir Bhattacharjee,

Dr Dinesh Ch. Goswami,

Sri Ajit Kumar Bhuyan,

Dr Taufiq Rahman Borbora,

Dr Apurba Kumar Barua,

Dr Manorama Sharma,

Dr Dulal Ch. Goswami,

Dr Anuradha Dutta,

Dr Paramananda Mahanta,

Dr Abu Naser Sayeed Ahmad,

Dr Sandhya Goswami,

Sri Prabhat Bora,

Sri Loknath Goswami,

Sri Udayaditya Bharali,

Sri Nitya Bora,

Sri Shantikam Hazarika,

 Mr H.R.A. Choudhury,

Mr Badal Chakrabory,

Sri Lakhminath Tamuli,

Sri Dhirendra Nath Saikia,

Sri PradipAcharjya,

Mr Absar Hazarika,

Dr Padmapani,

Sri Purneswar Nath,

Dr Kalyani Barua,

Sri Uddhab Kakati,

Dr Jiban Ch. Duttabarua,

Sri Arup Borbora,

Sri Kamal Narayan Choudhury,

Sri Ajit Chandra Talukdar,

Sri Deben Tamuli,

Sri Jnan Pujari,

Sri Satanjib Das,

Sri Rajen Kalita,

Sri Jnanen Borkakati,

Sri Dwipen Kakati,

Sri Munin Bayan,

Sri Hemanta Barman,

Sri Hemanta Das,

Dr Navaneel Barua,

Sri Mrinal Kumar Barman,

Mr Ali Haidar Laskar,

Mr Waris Choudhury,

Mr Abdur Rahman Sheikh,

Dr Kaliprasad Sharma,

Dr Mohan Ch. Kalita,

Dr Sonkumar Talukdar,

Dr Indranee Dutta,

Sri Rabin Dutta,

Sri Deepak Goswami

Sri Ghanashyam Nath,

Mr Abdul Mannan,

Sri Nalin Borthakur,

Dr Rashmi Goswami,

Sri Dipak Kumar Sarma,

Sri Mahesh Barman,

Sri Paresh Malakar,

Sri Paramananda Majumdar,

Sri Sankar Saikia,

Dr Tapan Kumar Sarma,

Sri Jagadish Goswami,

Sri Neelim Kumar,

Sri Santanu Borthakur,

Sri Samindra Huzuri,

Sri Bhupendra Borkotoki,

Sri Surjya Das,

Sri Kaustubhmoni Saikia,

Sri Moina Goswami,

Sri Anjan Goswami,

Sri Pankaj Nath,

Sri Dhananjay Sharma,

Mr Najibuddin Ahmed,

Sri Dilip Phukan,

Sri Pranabjyoti Deka,

Smti Suparna Lahiri Barua,

Sri Rajib Phukan,

Dr Bhabesh Bhagabati,

Dr Anil Kumar Choudhury,

Sri Niren Thakuria,

Sri Mukul Kalita,

Smti Sabita Lahkar,

Sri Kishore Kumar Kalita,

Sri Dwijendra Narayan Sarma,

Sri Ripunjay Gogoi,

Sri Prabhat Das,

Sri Chandan Chutia,

Sri Nakul Talukdar,

Sri Rudrasingha Matak,

Sri Gunin Choudhury,

Sri Niranjan Mahanta,

Sri Manoranjan Goswami,

Sri Pramod Mahanta,

Sri Nripen Kumar Barua, and

Sri Pulin Bhattacharjya