Bhopal: Congress Leaders Don Black Bands, Stage Silent To Protest ‘Attack’ On Rahul’s Yatra In Assam

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Congress staged a silent demonstration across the state on Tuesday to denounce the alleged attack on party leader Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Assam.

The Congress has claimed the Gandhi-led march came under ‘attack’ by BJP supporters on Sunday during the Assam leg of the Manipur-to-Maharashtra Nyay Yatra. Led by state party president Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition in Assembly Umang Singhar and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, party leaders and workers wore black armbands and staged a silent demonstration at Roshanpura Square in the state capital.

Party veteran Digvijaya talking to reporters said, Gandhi was not allowed to visit a temple of Assam's iconic Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva at Batadrava in Nagaon district on Monday. "BJP leaders, including Assam's chief minister and the prime minister, must reply to this. Why was Rahul Gandhi prevented from going to a temple? Is this the Ram Rajya the BJP is talking about?" he asked.

Replying a question on Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav talking about "Akhand Bharat" or undivided India, Singh remarked, "First, the CM should tell us about the map of Akhand Bharat."

Patwari, talking to reporters later, condemned the alleged attack on the yatra in the BJP-ruled north-eastern state and maintained the incident was a ‘threat to democracy’ in the country.

"We will not allow the BJP to kill democratic values granted by the Constitution and (its chief architect) Dr BR Ambedkar to people. The Congress has always fought against these forces and will continue to do so in the future also...it will uphold the democratic and constitutional rights given to people," Patwari asserted.

Singhar said the yatra was proceeding peacefully when it came under attack.