Assam election: Congress candidate attacked by miscreants in Naduar; hospitalised

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like A candidate from the opposition Congress for next month's assembly election in Assam was attacked by unidentified miscreants on Monday, the party confirmed. Sunil Kumar Chhetri (L), Congress candidate from Naduar, and few other workers from the party were attacked by some persons. (ANI)Sunil Kumar Chhetri, the Congress candidate from the Naduar seat was campaigning in his constituency on Monday evening when he and few other workers from the party were attacked by some persons. A video clip of the incident that went viral shows few persons carrying sticks beating Chhetri near a roadside following which he fell on the ground. HT can't independently verify authenticity of the video. President of Assam Congress Gaurav Gogoi condemned the attack on Chhetri, which took place at Napam Bypass in the constituency and demanded immediate arrest of the perpetrators. Gogoi blamed the ruling BJP workers for the attack and wished a speedy recovery to the candidate who is admitted to Tezpur Medical College for treatment. ALSO READ | Cash aid, ₹25 lakh health cover, land rights: Kharge unveils Assam Congress manifesto "We condemn the BJP for attacking Chhetri who is a strong representative of the Gorkha community and a former president of All Assam Gorkha Students Union and urge the government to provide adequate security to our candidate and take action against those involved," he said. Congress stated that few others, including senior Congress spokesperson Rupa Kalita, also sustained injuries in the attack and are undergoing treatment at Tezpur Medical College. Sitting BJP MLA from the seat, Padma Hazarika, refuted the Congress allegations that workers from the saffron party were involved. "If they can prove that BJP workers were behind the attack, I will retire from active politics," he said hinting the incident might be staged to get sympathy from voters. ALSO READ | The Zubeen factor: Congress promises justice; ‘don’t politicise’ says Assam CM The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) expressed outrage over the incident and stated that it was a assault on democratic values and principles. His grassroots outreach and public engagement have generated significant enthusiasm among voters, reflecting a growing desire for change and inclusive leadership. "An attack on a popular candidate raises serious concerns about the safety of democratic processes. Such incidents pose a grave threat to free and fair elections," said general secretary of BGP, Nanda Kirati Dewan. Utpal is a Senior Assistant Editor based in Guwahati. He covers seven states of North-East India and heads the editorial team for the region. He was previously based in Kathmandu, Dehradun and Delhi with Hindustan Times.Read More