Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 17 : Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker Numal Momin on Thursday blamed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for encouraging encroachers, after police personnel were attacked by miscreants in the Paikan area of Goalpara district.
The attack took place days after a major eviction drive in the area.
Momin said the violence was a result of Rahul Gandhi's recent statement promising land and houses to the landless, and accused Congress of doing appeasement politics and going against the rule of law.
Speaking to ANI, Numal Momin said,"Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi said that when Congress comes to power, they will give land to the landless people and build their houses. They are encouraging the encroachers. Now, they are taking an extreme step in attacking the Police. This is the counter-product of Rahul Gandhi's visit. Indirectly, Congress is encouraging the people who are against the rule of law under this government. Congress always has a hidden agenda and does appeasement politics."
"A proper inquiry should be done. I strongly condemn this attack on the Assam Police...It is interesting to note that these encroachers are taking the law into their hands only after Rahul Gandhi's visit," he added.
Momin said Congress is scared of the rapid development in Assam under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
He said Congress never gave Sarma due respect when he was in their party, but now they are panicking as Assam moves towards becoming one of the top five developed states in the country.
"During Congress rule, several state governments were dismissed, President's Rule was imposed and we had Emergency in 1975... Congress has always been targeting common people and genuine leaders... When Dr Sarma was in Congress, they never gave him the respect he deserved. Now Congress is afraid of the work he is doing in Assam after coming into BJP, leading the state towards becoming one of the top 5 developed states in the country," he added.
"Congress ruled the state for over 60 years and people got terrorism, bomb blasts, communal riots... Congress is panicking as Assam progresses and people favour BJP... A foreigner-free Assam will be the gift of Dr Sarma to the next generation... Congress and Rahul Gandhi exhibit the same mindset as that of 1975 when Emergency was imposed," Momin said.
Earlier, several police personnel were injured after miscreants attacked the security personnel at Paikan area in Assam's Goalpara district, where the administration carried out a massive eviction drive a few days back.
According to the police, the miscreants attacked the security personnel at Paikan Reserve Forest area when a joint team of police and the forest department went to the area for routine patrolling.
Akhilesh Kumar Singh, IGP (L&O) of Assam police, told ANI over the phone that several police personnel were injured, including two seriously injured, following an attack by some miscreants.The miscreants also pelted stones targeting to security personnel. Following retaliatory action by security personnel, a few miscreants were also injured.