Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Congress party, is currently undertaking a challenging journey through hostile terrain. The circumstances surrounding this journey and the personal involvement of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have given it a unique significance.
With the noble objective of delivering justice to the people of India, Rahul Gandhi embarked on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY) and recently returned to the state of Assam on Sunday, January 21. Prior to entering Assam, the yatra had already spent a day in Arunachal Pradesh as part of its ambitious plan to cover 14 states within a span of approximately two months.
Once again, the Congress leader was welcomed by a tumultuous storm. The ‘padyatra’ encountered demonstrations, slogans, and clashes with BJP supporters, similar to its previous encounters before entering Arunachal Pradesh. However, this time, it faced the authority of the state government and an extremely furious chief minister.
The way Rahul tailored the experience for Himanta was truly exceptional.
Rahul Gandhi and Himanta Biswa Sarma engaged in a heated exchange of words. The scion of the Gandhi family consistently attacked the BJP leader, going so far as to accuse Sarma’s entire family, including his children and wife, of being involved in corruption.
During a gathering in Assam on January 18, Rahul Gandhi stated, “The Chief Minister of Assam is the most corrupt Chief Minister in India. Every member of his family, whether it’s his children, his wife, or himself, is involved in corruption.” He reiterated this claim on January 21, asserting that the entire country and Assam were aware of the alleged corruption within Sarma’s family.
Himanta Biswa Sarma, a seasoned politician who has faced numerous accusations in the past, was infuriated by Rahul Gandhi’s attack on his family, particularly his children.
In response, Himanta referred to Rahul as “Ravan,” drawing a parallel between the Congress leader and the demon king. The Assam CM criticized Rahul for focusing on Ravan instead of discussing Lord Ram, especially on the occasion of the Pran Pratishtha at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Himanta’s counterstrikes demonstrated that Rahul Gandhi had crossed a line, as the Congress leader and his supporters faced the full force of the Assam government and BJP members.
“On Sunday (January 21), a day before the Pran Pratishtha at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Himanta stated, “Previously, Rahul Gandhi used to fear me, but now he is even afraid of my children.”
When a journalist asked about Rahul Gandhi, Himanta responded, “Why are you talking about Ravan today? Let’s talk about Ram. After 500 years, we have the opportunity to discuss Ram. We should focus solely on him and not on Ravan.” This comparison between Rahul Gandhi and Ravan further intensified the verbal clash between the two politicians.
The Clash and Criticism Surrounding Rahul Gandhi:
After his statements on January 18 and 21, Rahul Gandhi faced repercussions from the Assam administration. This occurred when the Congress yatra was instructed to avoid the main Guwahati roads and instead take the bypass route. However, the Congress members did not comply with these instructions, resulting in chaos and disorder.
The clash between Rahul and Himanta reached its peak on January 23, when Himanta Biswa Sarma directed the Assam DGP to file an FIR against Rahul Gandhi. It was alleged that Rahul had incited the crowd to break barricades during the nayay yatra.
The FIR included the names of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, and Kanhaiya Kumar.
“On January 23, in light of the wanton acts of violence, provocation, damage to public property, and assault on police personnel by Congress members, a FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Kanhaiya Kumar, and other individuals under section 120(B)143/147/188/283/353/332/333/427 IPC R/W Sec. 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act,” stated Himanta Biswa Sarma on X.
Congress President Mallikarjun Khadge wrote a letter to the Home Minister, Amit Shah, addressing the “security issues”.
Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra not only ignited political tensions but also exposed deep-rooted animosity and disagreements between the two leaders, reigniting their personal differences.
It is widely known that Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rahul Gandhi have a strong dislike for each other.
Sarma played a crucial role in bringing back the Congress government of Tarun Gogoi in May 2016.
However, despite being a loyal Congress leader, Sarma felt sidelined by Tarun Gogoi, who was favoring his son, Gaurav Gogoi.
Sarma expressed his concerns to the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, but his pleas for fair treatment were ignored.
In fact, Sarma, an influential Congress leader from the Northeast, claimed to have been humiliated by Rahul Gandhi.
In a tweet posted in 2017, Sarma wrote, “Sir @OfficeOfRG, who knows him better than me. Still remember you busy feeding biscuits 2 him while We wanted to discuss urgent Assam’s issues.”
As a result, Sarma left the Congress and joined the BJP, vowing to make the Northeast free from the Congress.
Many within the Congress, including Rahul himself, viewed this as a betrayal.
Gulam Nabi Azad, a former Congress leader from Kashmir, blamed Rahul for Sarma’s defection to the BJP in his autobiography ‘Azad’.
Rahul Gandhi’s response to Sarma’s departure was simply, “Let him go.”
Sarma’s switch to the BJP later contributed to the party’s success in Assam and the Northeast.
The personal animosity between Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has only intensified.
The attacks have taken a personal turn, with family members, including children, being targeted, further fueling the hostility between the two leaders, who already had a strained relationship.
And it seems that this animosity is far from over, as the personal attacks continue.
Just recently, Rahul Gandhi once again referred to Sarma as the “most corrupt chief minister in the country.”
He added, “Your chief minister spreads fear and hatred 24X7. As the fear and hatred spreads in the state, your chief minister steals your land.”
It appears that this ongoing feud shows no signs of ending anytime soon.