Assam: Gaurav Gogoi alleges use of force in KA unrest, urges sensitive handling

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and Deputy Leader of the Indian National Congress (INC) in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the violent situation in West Karbi Anglong, where a large group of protesters allegedly set fire to the house of a BJP leader known to be a close aide of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma.

In a statement shared on his social media platform X, Gogoi said that one protester was killed in police firing, while several others, including protesters and police personnel, sustained injuries during the unrest.

He further stated that the situation remains tense, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services across East and West Karbi Anglong districts as a precautionary measure.

The Congress leader urged the state government to handle the situation with sensitivity and restraint, asserting that the use of force would only worsen tensions. He reiterated that the Congress party in Assam does not support violence as a form of protest and stands firmly for democratic and peaceful means of expression.

“We desire peace and appeal to all sections of society to remain calm,” Gogoi said, adding that the recurring unrest highlights deeper issues faced by indigenous people, ethnic communities, tribes and local residents of Assam.

Gogoi further alleged that the concerns of these communities have consistently been sidelined under the current leadership, stating that as long as Himanta Biswa Sarma remains Chief Minister, the issues of indigenous and local communities will continue to be treated as secondary.

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