Cops seize Cong ‘chargesheet’ leaflets targeting Himanta; 4 held

Guwahati: Police on Monday seized copies of a “chargesheet” published by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) alleging failures and “anti-people” policies of the BJP-led govt, and arrested four Congress workers, including two NSUI members, who were transporting the documents.Police said the material was provocative and contained allegations against chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.The “chargesheet”, unveiled by Priyanka Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders in Guwahati recently, was being moved in a truck for storage and later distribution ahead of the assembly election.DCP-East, Guwahati, Tabu Ram Pegu, said at around 12:30am on Monday, during routine patrolling, police received information at Dispur police station about an altercation in a Rukminigaon housing society over a truck’s entry. Police reached the spot, brought the situation under control, and during a check of the vehicle found a large quantity of printed leaflets alleging “wrongdoing by the Assam CM”.“Police found around 10 lakh printed leaflets where basically allegations were printed against the chief minister. These were brought for stocking for large-scale distribution. Since it is a sensitive time due to the election round the corner and considering law and order ramifications and provocative materials, a case was registered by police,” Pegu told the media, adding that an investigation began.Pegu said four individuals were being produced in a local court and that police would try to identify who printed the material, who financed it, and what the distribution plan was. Those detained were Rekibul Haque, Jaynal Abedin, Akshay Kumar Bordoloi and Pranjit Pator.The APCC condemned the seizure, saying the documents related to alleged corruption involving CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi accused BJP and the govt of running an authoritarian regime and blocking the public from seeing allegations against them, adding that voters would respond in 2026.At a press conference in New Delhi, Gogoi said, “The chief minister of Assam tries to project himself as a brave and powerful leader, yet he is intimidated by a few pamphlets released by the Assam Congress, which led to their confiscation by the police. The BJP failed to fulfil its promises to Assam, and the chargesheet highlighting these failures was seized. Is this the strength and courage of Himanta Biswa Sarma?”After the incident, Assam Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur and state Congress media department head Bedabrata Bora went to Dispur police station to seek details on how the chargesheets were seized. Borthakur said Congress had officially released the “chargesheet” at a press conference describing what the BJP did and did not do for public welfare.“We learned that they are trying to find out who published and circulated the document. It was openly released at the Congress office in the presence of screening committee chairperson Priyanka Gandhi, APCC president Gaurav Gogoi and MP Pradyut Bordoloi. As the election notification is not yet issued, if there is any objection, it should be raised by the Election Commission of India. Has the Election Commission taken suo motu action? Certainly not.”Borthakur said Congress would pursue legal action over the detention of youths and the seizure of the chargesheets.