Guwahati, July 17: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of encouraging encroachers and emboldening them with his words to attack security forces in Goalpara, leading to the death of one illegal settler in retaliatory police firing.
He said the violent incident at Paikan reserve forest a day after Gandhi’s visit is the “disastrous legacy” of the Congress leader, claiming that his “irresponsible rhetoric” has endangered lives and peace in the state.
“Rahul Gandhi came to Assam and openly encouraged encroachers to occupy forest land,” Sarma asserted, referring to the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha’s day-long visit to the state on Wednesday.
Accompanied by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Gandhi had held a closed-door discussion with top state party functionaries in Guwahati and addressed a workers’ meet at Chaygaon, about 40 km from here.
He had alleged that just as in Assam, land is being taken away across the country from people and given to a few industrialists.
“Emboldened by his reckless words, today a violent mob attacked our police and forest personnel while attempting to forcefully encroach upon the Paikan Reserve Forest. In the line of duty, 21 brave police officers and forest guards suffered grievous injuries,” Sarma said in a post on X.
Left with no choice, the police had to open fire to restore order, leading to the death of one encroacher, he said.
“This is the disastrous legacy of Rahul Gandhi’s one-day visit to Assam. His irresponsible rhetoric has directly endangered lives and disrupted peace in our state. The people of Assam will neither forget nor forgive this betrayal,” the chief minister added.
At least one person was killed and several others, including policemen, were injured in a clash between evicted people and security personnel in Paikan Reserve Forest in Goalpara district on Thursday.
Goalpara District Commissioner Prodip Timung said forest guards and police personnel were attacked by alleged encroachers with sticks, and stones were hurled at them when they had gone to cordon off a part of the Paikan reserve forest, where an eviction drive was carried out on Saturday.
In a retaliatory action, the police had to fire to control the situation, in which one person was killed and two others were injured. Several policemen and forest personnel were injured in the incident of stone pelting, the DC said. (PTI)
