Will soon identify Rahul Gandhi's 'body double': Himanta Sarma
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he would soon reveal the details of the "body double" allegedly used by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state. "I don't just say things. The duplicate's name, and how it was done--I will share all details. Just wait for a few days," he told the media. Sarma had recently alleged that Gandhi used a "body double" during the cross-country yatra in Assam.
Why does this story matter?
The cross-country yatra is the Congress's major public outreach campaign ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The yatra led by Gandhi reached Assam on January 18 from Nagaland, and it departed from the state on Thursday. The Assam leg was marred with controversy after the Congress alleged that its leaders were attacked by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers at several places. The Guwahati Police, on Tuesday, registered an FIR against Gandhi and others for "wanton acts of violence."
Sarma to reveal details of alleged body double in Guwahati
According to reports, Sarma plans to reveal information about the supposed body double of Gandhi once he returns to Guwahati. "I will be in Dibrugarh tomorrow (Sunday), and the next day also I will be out of Guwahati. Once I am back in Guwahati, I will give the name and address of the duplicate," he said. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which started from Manipur on January 14, will end in Maharashtra on March 20.
Tensions between Congress, BJP during yatra
During the yatra, Gandhi called Sarma the "most corrupt chief minister of India" and claimed that the Assam government denied him permission to visit a temple. The Congress also alleged that the police denied them permission to perform a roadshow or "padayatra" (foot march) in Guwahati. This led to Congress leaders and workers breaking police barricades in Guwahati, resulting in an FIR against Gandhi and others.
They would be arrested after the Lok Sabha polls: Sarma
Sarma later said they would be arrested after the Lok Sabha polls, adding, "Let them bring Priyanka Gandhi's son also...They couldn't do it through Rahul, so they will now get Priyanka and then Sonia [Gandhi]." The Congress planned for the yatra to go through central Guwahati, but officials changed the route owing to security and traffic concerns. The decision prompted a large police presence at the Khanapara crossing, where scuffles broke out.
