Cong youth wing chief detained ahead of protest over party worker's death: Assam Police

Guwahati, Dec 20 (PTI) Assam Police on Friday put Indian Youth Congress (IYC) national president Uday Bhanu Chib in 'preventive detention' ahead of a 'protest' over the death of a party worker two days ago, a top official said.

Guwahati police commissioner Diganta Barah said, "Chib is being held in the hotel where he has been staying." Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged that the Youth Congress leader had come to create disturbance and would have been jailed had he gone with such intentions to any other state.

"They have come from Himachal Pradesh to create disturbance in Assam. They should have been put in jail, but we have at least kept him in the hotel," Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Nagaon, when asked for his reaction on Chib’s detention.

Chib’s personal information on micro-blogging site X mentions that he is from Jammu and Kashmir.

Sarma claimed that in any other state, Chib would have been sent to jail and said, "Assam is a loving state, hence we have kept him at the hotel." Speaking to PTI, Barah said, "The Youth Congress had planned a 'Dispur gherao' programme and Chib was here to participate in the event. But we cannot allow such a programme. He has been put in preventive detention and told that he cannot leave the hotel." State Youth Congress president Zubair Anam, however, denied such a programme and said Chib was were here to participate in an all-faith prayer meeting called by the party as a tribute to party leader Mridul Islam, who died during a 'Raj Bhawan Chalo' programme on Wednesday against a host of issues, including unrest in Manipur and alleged bribery charges against Adani Group.

"Our party leadership had decided to postpone all agitational programmes for three days since Islam’s death, and accordingly, our ‘Dispur gherao’ programme, which was scheduled on Thursday, did not take place. Our members were to participate only in the all-faith prayer meeting and offer 'shraddhanjali' to Islam," Anam told PTI.

Anam, who was not allowed to meet Chib at the hotel in the morning, added that the IYC national president is still in detention.

The office of the IYC president, in a post on Chib’s personal X account, said, "Dear @himantabiswa, Daro Mat! Arresting me or Youth Congress workers only shows how cowardly you are running your government." "First, you killed our worker Mridul Islam using brutal police force. Now, these unlawful arrests are a testament to your cowardice," the post said, adding, "We won’t stop fighting for justice. We won’t let you disrespect Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar any further," it added.

State Youth Congress activists gathered in front of the hotel since morning and also raised slogans demanding the release of their leader. They also alleged that Chib has not been given access to his lawyer.

They claimed that the mobile phone of the IYC president had also been taken away by police.

Chib reached Guwahati on Thursday and visited the residence of Islam along with other party leaders. PTI SSG BDC SSG MNB