Cong worker dies due to police tear gas shelling during protest in Guwahati, declared as 1st martyr in fight against corruption

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 18, 2024

A Congress worker, Mridul Islam, lost his life during the Raj Bhawan Chalo protest organized by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) in Guwahati on Wednesday as part of a nationwide movement to highlight alleged corruption and grievances with government policies.

Mridul Islam, an advocate at the Gauhati High Court and a resident of Suntoli, Samaria (Boko), sustained severe injuries when police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. Despite being rushed to Nemcare Hospital, he was reportedly denied admission. He later passed away en route to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

The protest saw participation from over 1,000 Congress workers, who raised slogans such as “BJP Go Back,” “Adani Down Down,” and “Remove Smart Meters.” The demonstration focused on several contentious issues, including- Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on B.R. Ambedkar, the ongoing crisis in Manipur, alleged inaction on the Adani controversy, the demand to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, the widespread installation of smart meters in Assam and opposition to the proposed “One Nation, One Election” bill.

The protest began at 11:30 AM and was led by prominent leaders such as APCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, and former MP Ripun Bora. By 12:20 PM, protesters breached police barricades near the IOCL Water Intake Plant, prompting the police to fire tear gas shells to control the crowd.

Several top Congress leaders, including Bhupen Kumar Borah, Debabrata Saikia, and Ripun Bora, were detained alongside other demonstrators. Protesters were forcibly taken into custody and transported in buses.

Condemning the incident, APCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah called it a “blatant display of dadagiri.” Borah reaffirmed Congress’s commitment to opposing the BJP, declaring, “We will uproot the lotus from Assam and India.”

Borah accused the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government of corruption, specifically targeting the large-scale installation of smart meters across the state. “No other state has installed smart meters at this scale. This is for commission,” Borah alleged.

Further, Borah criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his alleged links to industrialist Gautam Adani, who has faced accusations from U.S. law enforcement agencies. “The American law enforcement agencies have exposed Adani, but Indian agencies like SEBI and CID have found no fault. Isn’t that surprising?” he questioned.

The APCC declared Mridul Islam the first martyr of their movement against corruption. His mortal remains were brought to Rajiv Bhawan, where Congress leaders and workers paid their final respects.

APCC general secretary Bipul Gogoi has filed an FIR at Latasil Police Station, demanding an independent and thorough investigation into Islam’s death.

The Assam Sammilit Morcha (ASOM) also issued a strong condemnation of the incident, describing the police actions as brutal and repressive.

In a joint statement, MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan and Lurinjyoti Gogoi accused the Himanta Biswa Sarma government of exposing its “fascist mentality” by targeting unarmed protesters and journalists.

“The Himanta Biswa Sarma government is only fueling the fire of accumulated anger among the people with such fascist repressive actions. This arrogance of the government will ultimately lead to its downfall,” they stated.