By-elections for the Samaguri assembly seat in Assam are scheduled for November 13. Simultaneously, cases of violence have also surfaced in light of the by-election. In this context, the ruling BJP and Congress have blamed one another for attacking their supporters in the past 24 hours. It has also been claimed that three reporters who went to cover the violence were assaulted by Congress backers. This act of violence occurred on Saturday.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the Congress for using nighttime violence to threaten BJP members. He stated that nobody would be permitted to weaken the democratic process. An officer from the police department stated, “We have obtained details regarding a shooting incident in the village of Mari Puthikhaiti, Samaguri.” The BJP claimed that a bullet was shot at the car of ruling party MLA Jitu Goswami from the residence of a Congress supporter.
He mentioned that Goswami and BJP leader Suresh Bora were in the vehicle. Nonetheless, nobody was harmed in the event. The officer stated, ‘In the meantime, Congress members claimed that BJP activists shot at Imam Uddin, the son of ex-zonal panchayat member Ismail Hussain, resulting in his leg injury.’
The police officer stated that the wounded Uddin was transported to a local hospital for care. He mentioned that these claims are currently being investigated. He mentioned that at least 6 vehicles were damaged in conflicts between supporters of the ruling and opposition parties at various locations in the constituency during the night. In the forthcoming by-election, Congress has nominated Tanjil, the son of Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain, while the BJP has put forward D Ranjan Sharma.
Chief Minister Sharma posted on X, “I firmly denounce the assault on MLA Jitu Goswami in Samaguri by Assam Congress backers.” This is the same Congress that confidently displays a copy of the Constitution for the cameras. And uses violence under the veil of night to threaten our employees.
MLA Goswami criticized the Congress and called for prompt action against the assailants led by MP Rakibul for threatening voters. On Sunday, journalists conducted a sit-in protest at Samaguri in response to the attack and called for the swift capture of those responsible. Hussain, who is fervently promoting his son’s initial electoral race, arrived at the location. He denounced the supposed savage assault by the BJP on Congress members.
He stated, ‘I promptly notified Nagaon Superintendent of Police Swapnil Deka along with other police personnel. I asked them to take measures. Nevertheless, Deka and others accused Congress workers in front of reporters rather than performing an impartial inquiry. Reports of violence have emerged nearly every day since the by-election was declared in Samaguri.