Assam CM Himanta Sarma’s convoy was attacked with a plastic bottle in Golaghat, leading to the detention of six individuals, including Congress workers. The incident has sparked political tension between BJP and Congress, raising questions over security, political vendetta, and the misuse of protest in Assam.
A seemingly minor act of protest turned into a political flashpoint in Assam after a plastic bottle was hurled at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s convoy during his visit to Golaghat on Monday. The incident, captured on video, triggered swift police action and political friction between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress.
On Tuesday, the Assam Police detained six individuals in connection with the incident, including several Congress workers. Among the detained were Pallab Chetia, secretary of the Golaghat District Congress Committee, and Rahul Phukan, the son of a former Block Congress Secretary. Both are said to have ties to Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi.
While no injuries or damage to the convoy were reported, the act has been deemed a “serious security breach” by state authorities. Assam Power Minister Prasanta Phukan didn’t mince words, alleging that the bottle-throwing was an “attempt on the Chief Minister’s life.” He called for a thorough security review for all future public appearances of the Chief Minister.
Golaghat MLA Biswajit Phukan (BJP) linked the episode to Congress’s alleged “politics of disruption,” referring to past instances like the Emergency and the 1983 Assam elections. “The Chief Minister came with a development agenda, but Congress cannot tolerate his popularity,” Phukan said.
The BJP did not stop at verbal condemnation. The party organized protest rallies in Dibrugarh and other districts to denounce the act and demand accountability. BJP supporters termed it a “planned attack” aimed at creating unrest and undermining the government’s efforts.
However, the Congress strongly pushed back, accusing the ruling BJP of politicizing the incident to stifle dissent. Congress spokesperson Rituporno Konwar stated that four of the detained Youth Congress workers had already been in police custody an hour before the bottle was thrown. “If they weren’t present at the site, how could they have committed the act? This is clearly a tactic to suppress democratic protests,” he argued.
The Congress had reportedly been organizing protests related to rising cattle thefts in Assam, which they claim have seen a spike under the BJP regime. The opposition alleged that the bottle-throwing incident is being used to deflect attention from legitimate issues being raised by the public.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while addressing the media later, took a sarcastic tone, seemingly downplaying the gravity of the incident. “A plastic bottle? Maybe they thought it was hot and I needed water,” he joked. However, his casual dismissal has not gone unnoticed, with critics accusing him of minimizing a security lapse.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Borah condemned the attack unequivocally. “It is very unfortunate that someone threw a bottle at the Chief Minister’s convoy. The act is condemnable. Congress believes in democratic agitation, not violence,” Borah clarified.
Dhubri Congress MP Rakibul Hussain added a personal note, stating, “I was also attacked by a few miscreants on the road in the past. At that time, the Chief Minister took potshots at me. Today, the tables have turned, and instead of addressing the core issues, BJP is choosing to play the victim card.”
Political analysts believe the incident, although minor in physical consequence, may have far-reaching political implications in Assam’s charged atmosphere. The incident brings to light the increasing polarization and tension between the ruling and opposition parties in the state.
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The detained individuals remain in custody while investigations are ongoing. The police have stated that they are analyzing video footage and eye-witness accounts to establish the full sequence of events. Meanwhile, both parties are expected to continue their aggressive posturing in the days to come, with the bottle-throwing episode now becoming symbolic of the larger battle for narrative control in Assam.
As security measures are reviewed and political rhetoric escalates, the focus now shifts to whether genuine political dialogue can prevail in a climate increasingly dominated by confrontation.
