GUWAHATI: Two persons were injured in a firing incident in Assam's Samaguri Assembly constituency, which is set to go to by-elections along with four other constituencies on November 13.
The incident occurred around 10 pm on Saturday in the Moriputhi area of Samaguri which falls under central Assam’s Nagaon district.
A political slugfest began on Sunday as the BJP and Congress accused each other of inciting violence. The BJP accused that Congress supporters fired shots targeting its Barhampur MLA, Jitu Goswami, while the Congress alleged that the BJP was responsible for opening fire.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the attack on Goswami by the “INC supporters”.
“This is the same Congress that proudly holds up the Constitution for the cameras, yet resorts to violence under cover of darkness to intimidate our karyakartas. The real question is, why has Congress stooped to such depths in this by-election? It’s not just fear of defeat but the desperation to hold on to their core vote bank that drives them to such extremes,” Sarma posted on X.
“Justice will be served, and we will not allow anyone to sabotage or undermine our democratic process,” he further wrote.
Congress MP Rakibul Hussain demanded an impartial probe into the incident by a sitting judge.
“Jitu Goswami said shots were fired targeting his leg. Then he said his car was targeted. And how can a person, who himself sustained gunshot wounds, open fire?” Hussain asked referring to one of the injured who is now admitted to a hospital.
“Around 25-30 BJP vehicles have been moving around Samaguri for the past few days, unleashing a reign of terror but the police are doing nothing. The attack was planned,” he alleged.
Samaguri, a Congress bastion, braces for a straight contest between Hussain’s son Tanzil and BJP’s Diplu Ranjan Sarma. Hussain held the seat since 2001. His election to the Lok Sabha from Dhubri earlier this year necessitated the by-poll.