Assam is on state-sponsored fire: Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi
At least two protesters were killed and many others, including nine police personnel, injured during clashes between police and locals at Dholpur Gorukhuti area in Assam’s Darrang district on Thursday.
The clashes broke out at a time when a team of security personnel went to the area to evict illegal encroachers from the land belonging to a state farming project. When the security personnel reached the area, thousands of locals gathered and raised slogans against the eviction drive.
The Assam cabinet had earlier taken a decision to recover the land completely from encroachers and convert it to a state farming project.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “Assam is on state-sponsored fire. I stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the state- no children of India deserve this.”
Assam is on state-sponsored fire.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 23, 2021
I stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the state- no children of India deserve this. pic.twitter.com/syo4BTIXKH
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, backed the police action.“Police are doing their duty. As per my information, people attacked police with machetes, spears and other things,” he said, making it clear that the eviction drive will continue on Friday.