Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday dared the Assam government to arrest the party's workers and supporters over the FIR lodged due to the alleged violation of the agreed route for Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. "No rules have been broken. Assam CM is making all attempts to stop people from joining the Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra. No one can stop this yatra. We are in Assam for the next 7 days. Let them arrest us, we accept the challenge," Jairam Ramesh said on Friday.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra reached the world's largest river island, Majuli, in Assam on Day 6.
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Congress MP from Assam Gaurav Gogoi, too, fired back at the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led state government over the FIR. He said, "The people are with us. We will not be scared of anyone or any FIR. In a democracy, no government can stop us..."
Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' and its chief organiser KB Byju landed in trouble on Thursday after the Assam Police registered an FIR. The FIR was registered because the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra allegedly deviated from its permitted route in Assam's Jorhat. The Assam Police in its FIR said that the rally participants, or Yatris, took a "wrong turn", which led to a "chaotic situation" in the area.
"Some people fell due to the sudden rush of people, and a stampede-like situation was created. A suo motu FIR has been registered at Jorhat Sadar Police Station against the Yatra and its chief organiser," a police officer was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, however, said that the FIR was an excuse to create obstacles for the Yatra. "There was no police manning the traffic diversion at the PWD point. The assigned route was too small and we had a huge gathering. So, we took a detour for just a few metres. Himanta Biswa Sarma is scared of the Yatra's success on the first day (in Assam) and now wants to derail it," he said.
Rahul Gandhi on Friday morning took a boat across the Brahmaputra, from Nimati Ghat, Jorhat to Majuli. The Yatra on Friday will end in Gogamukh village in the Dhemaji district of Assam.