Police complaint against Assam CM Himanta for Sonia 'hate speech'

Senior Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia has filed a police complaint against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his alleged ”hateful statement” that Lok Sabha MP and former party president Sonia Gandhi's “residence should be burnt”.

Sarma made the alleged statement during a rally in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh on September 18.

”While taunting Kamal Nath, a prominent member of the Indian National Congress, about his Hindu identity, Sarma has directly suggested that 10, Janpath should be burnt,” Saikia, the leader of the opposition in the Assam assembly, said in his complaint.

The address 10, Janpath is Sonia Gandhi's residence.

”In a country governed by the rule of law, Sarma has taken electoral rhetoric to its ugliest form, and gave a clear instigation towards violence and arson,” Saikia said.

The Congress leader said that though the statement was made in Madhya Pradesh, it has been widely circulated over print, electronic and social media and it is accessible in Assam.

Gandhi happens to be the widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and by 'suggesting that the residence of a 77-year-old lady be burnt down, Sarma is not just attacking a prominent face of the opposition but is also giving a clarion call towards arson,' he stated.

“Such wanton statements coming from a person with constitutional authority has the potential of causing misguided persons to resort to violence and potentially cause harm to the residents of 10 Janpath,” Saikia said.

The BJP leader is liable to be booked under Sections 153 (provocation causing rioting) and Sections 115/436 (abetment to violence) of the IPC, Saikia said.

In the complaint lodged on September 20, he provided the link to a newspaper report on the speech of the Assam chief minister.

Saikia said, ”We have appealed to the police to register an FIR in this regard.”

A senior police official of Sivasagar district said that they are examining the complaint filed and are yet to decide on it.

The chief minister is currently campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party in poll-bound Rajasthan and has not commented on the filing of the complaint by Saikia.