Himanta Sarma's "Legal Action" Warning To Rahul Gandhi-Led Yatra

Guwahati:

The Assam government will take legal action if the Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' enters the Guwahati city, warned Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The Yatra entered Assam from Nagaland earlier in the day and will continue till January 25. It will travel 833 km in 17 districts.

Addressing a public gathering at Haloating in Sivasagar district, Mr Gandhi slammed the ruling BJP and its ideologue Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for "spreading hatred and looting public money".

"If the Yatra takes place inside Guwahati city, the government will take legal action. There is a hospital and a school in the city, if Rahul Gandhi still takes a yatra from inside the city, we will register a case," said the Chief Minister.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in Charge of Communications, while addressing a press conference claimed that the Himanta Biswa Sarma government is making all efforts to 'ensure that Bharat Jodo Yatra is not a success'.

"We are in Assam till 25th January. The state government is making all efforts to ensure that Bharat Jodo Yatra is not a success here. Assam government posing hurdles to the yatra, but we have faith that all sections of Assam including youth and women will listen to what Rahul Gandhi has to say," he said.

Coinciding with the march, the Assam government on Thursday began the distribution of forms for a scheme to develop 40 lakh Self Help Group (SHG) members as rural micro-entrepreneurs at individual levels and help them become 'lakhpati baidews (millionaire elder sister)'.

The Congress alleged that the state government fixed dates for the distribution of forms in such a manner that it clashes with Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in the state.

"It is Rahul Gandhi's (yatra schedule) that is coinciding with our welfare dates (dates on which forms are to be distributed for a new scheme), not us who planned for this. These dates were declared even before we knew he was coming," Mr Sarma said on Tuesday.

The 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' is planned to cover 6,713 km in 67 days while passing through 110 districts in 15 states.