Congress issues 'do it now' dare to Assam CM's arrest threat

The war of words between the Congress party and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma escalated on Thursday as Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra resumed in the BJP-ruled state. Sarma reiterated on Wednesday that Gandhi and other Congress leaders facing charges for allegedly provoking the crowd would be arrested after the Lok Sabha elections, avoiding politicization of the issue. He announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter, referring to the FIR lodged against Congress leaders.

Responding to the chief minister's statement, Congress MP Abdul Khaleques said, “if he has the courage to arrest, do it now. Why after the Lok Sabha elections. He is using the state police for his political gains.”

Rahul Gandhi, during a public meeting in Barpeta districton Wednesday, intensified his criticism of Chief Minister Sarma, labelling him as "most corrupt CM" in  the country. 

"I don't know how Himanta Biswa Sarma got the idea that he can intimidate me by filing cases. File as many cases as you can. File 25 more cases; I am not going to be intimidated. The BJP-RSS can't intimidate me," the former Congress president said.