GUWAHATI: Assam Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed was detained by the police on Saturday over the "provocative" remarks he allegedly made in reference to the recent eviction drive in Darrang district, a senior police officer said.
A team of police picked up the MLA from his official residence in Guwahati on Saturday evening.
"He has been detained and is being taken to Pan Bazaar Police Station. He could be arrested later tonight", a senior police official said.
Ahmed reportedly made the "communal" remarks while reacting to assertions by some leaders of the BJP-led ruling alliance that the alleged encroachers in Sipajhar area of Darrang district "had killed" eight people in 1983 during the six-year-long Assam agitation.
After the MLA's comments triggered outrage, the Congress party served a show-cause notice on him.
"...Despite holding a responsible position as an MLA, you have time and again given statements in media and in public forum against party policies and matters with communal overtones having great propensity to destroy the social harmony of our state," the show-cause notice reads.
An eviction drive held last month in Darrang passed off peacefully on the first day but was conducted amid stiff resistance by locals on the second, leaving two dead in police firing, including a 12-year-old boy.
Over 20 people were injured in the melee, including policemen.
(Inputs from PTI)