GUWAHATI: Assam Congress MP Rakibul Hussain was on Thursday attacked by miscreants in the state’s Nagaon district.
The incident occurred at Rupohihat when the Dhubri MP was riding a two-wheeler to attend a party programme.
In a viral video, a man can be seen hitting Hussain with what looked like a cricket bat, and he fell down on the road. His personal security officers (PSOs) had tried to save him, but they were overpowered and assaulted by the assailants.
Talking to media persons later, Hussain alleged the attack on him was carried out at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s direction.
“The attack was perpetrated by cowards. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is afraid of losing power, and he is trying to remain alive politically by hook or by crook,” Hussain said, referring to next year’s Assembly elections in the state.
“He (Sarma) should resign as the home minister if he cannot run the department or take action against the SP and the OC (officer in charge) of the local police station,” the MP said.
He also said that if he had been provided with adequate security, the miscreants would not have dared to attack him. He said he would not lodge an FIR as it was meaningless.
“FIRs lodged with SPs and OCs do not work when Himanta Biswa Sarma is the home minister. Previously, a woman was attacked. She was hospitalised but, surprisingly, it was considered a bailable offence,” Hussain said.
He had won Assembly elections five times in a row, beginning in 2001, from the Samaguri seat in Nagaon. After his election to the Lok Sabha last year, his son contested in the by-elections but lost to the BJP candidate.
Meanwhile, the Congress slammed the BJP-led government over the incident, with state Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah linking it to the upcoming Assembly elections.
“BJP’s popularity is fast declining, so it has started targeting Congress and its workers. But one cannot win in a democracy by using muscle power. I appeal to Himanta Biswa Sarma to not push Assam to jungle raj,” Borah said.
He demanded the arrest of all those involved in the attack on Hussain, warning that the Congress would otherwise be compelled to take democratic steps.