Assam prohibits demonstrations near Raj Bhavan-OxBig News Network

Police personnel fire teargas shells during Congress ‘Chalo Raj Bhavan’ protest on the Adani issue, in Guwahati on December 18, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI

GUWAHATI

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday (December 19, 2024) that no demonstrations would be permitted near the Governor’s house in Guwahati. He announced this a day after a Congress leader died allegedly due to excessive tear gas shelling during the party’s ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ stir.

“The institution of the Governor stands above partisan politics. Yesterday (December 18, 2024), Congress party leaders attempted to forcibly enter Raj Bhavan by breaching police barricades and causing chaos in the vicinity,” he said in a post on X, pointing out that the city has a designated area for protests and demonstrations.

The Chief Minister also said the police would register a first information report (FIR) and conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident by analysing the video recordings. 

Hours after Mridul Islam succumbed to injuries sustained during the tear gas shelling, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee lodged an FIR at the city’s Latasil police station seeking an independent probe into the incident and action against the police officers responsible for his death. The party also sought compensation for the survivors of the deceased party worker.

Mr. Islam, an advocate by profession, was the secretary of the party’s legal cell and a resident of Boko in southwestern Assam. Several others, including journalists, sustained injuries in the incident.

Members of the Guwahati Press Club protested the tear gas shelling “in areas where presspersons gathered at the political programme” by wearing black badges on Thursday.

State Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah, who was also injured during the demonstration on Wednesday, accused the police of murdering Mr. Islam and declared him a “martyr” of the party’s “war against the corrupt BJP-led government”.

Other political parties such as Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal also said the State government killed Mr. Islam by using excessive force unnecessarily.