Assam bans protests near Raj Bhavan

Police fire tear gas shells during a protest by Congress ‘Chalo Raj Bhavan’ 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 protests will be allowed near the Governor’s residence in Guwahati. He announced this a day after the death of a Congress leader allegedly due to the teargas detonation during the ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ riot.

“The governor’s office is more than a partisan politics. Yesterday (December 18, 2024), leaders of the Congress party tried to forcefully enter the Raj Bhavan by violating police restrictions and creating chaos in the area,” he said on the X website, pointing out that the city has a designated area for protests and demonstrations. .

The Chief Minister also said that the police will register a first information report (FIR) and conduct a thorough investigation into the incident by analyzing the recorded videos.

Hours after Mridul Islam died of injuries sustained in a teargas attack, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee filed an FIR at the Latasil police station seeking an independent inquiry into the incident and action against the police over his death. The group also sought compensation for the survivors of the deceased group worker.

Mr. Islam, a lawyer by profession, was the secretary of the party’s legal cell and a resident of Boko in southwest Assam. Several others, including journalists, were injured in the incident.

Members of the Guwahati Press Club protested against the firing of tear gas at “places where the media were meeting for a political programme” by wearing black badges on Thursday.

Congress state president Bhupen Kumar Borah, who was also injured during the protest on Wednesday, accused the police of killing Mr.

Other political parties like Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal also said that the State government killed Mr. Islam by using a lot of power is unnecessary.