Nehru's statue demolished by miscreants in Assam's Cachar; Cong attacks govt

Silchar (Assam), Feb 25 (PTI) A statue of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was demolished by unknown miscreants at Cachar district of Assam, triggering political outrage.

Coming down heavily on the government for its "disturbing silence" on the matter, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi said the action has insulted the legacy of the freedom fighter who had laid the foundation of modern India.

The incident took place on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday at Pailapool market area under the jurisdiction of Lakhipur police station in the Barak valley region, a police official said.

Police have so far picked up one person and seized the excavator, by which the statue was uprooted, leading the Congress to raise allegations of leniency in taking action by the government.

"We have not found any eyewitness to the incident. However, it is seen in a CCTV camera of the Merchant Association that some unknown miscreants were demolishing the statue with the help of an excavator," Lakhipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sankar Dayal told PTI.

The police have launched a probe into the incident and started to look out for the culprits, he added.

"We have registered an FIR. Although the police have apprehended one person relating to the incident and seized the excavator, we are not able to nab the driver yet," Dayal said.

Gogoi condemned the incident and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

"Such an act does not merely destroy a statue; it insults the legacy of a great leader and distinguished freedom fighter who laid the foundation of modern India," he added.

Gogoi further stated that while there may be differences in political ideology, any attempt to erase democratic history through such unethical actions is unacceptable.

He also expressed concern that despite such a "disgraceful" incident occurring during the BJP's tenure, the government has maintained a "disturbing silence" on the matter.

"The strength of India and Assam lies in upholding pluralism and democratic values, and we must safeguard them at all costs," the Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha said.

He urged the authorities to immediately identify those involved in the act and take strict action against them.

Gogoi asserted that the people of Assam will never accept such acts of vandalism.

In a post on X, Assam Congress said, "The statue was brazenly vandalised using an excavator. Assam Chief Minister's close aide, @iKaushikRai, is the MLA from Lakhipur.

"We want to know: Who owns this excavator? Under whose direction was this act of vandalism carried out? We demand strict and exemplary action against the perpetrators." Meanwhile, Congress leaders from Silchar reached the spot and filed a complaint with the police and demanded that the culprits be arrested immediately.

"It was a planned attack and an intentionally created incident. It was done to create tension among the people ahead of the elections," Silchar District Congress President Sajal Acherjee alleged.

Many other local groups also condemned the incident and sought the arrest of the culprits.

They also demanded that the police keep a strict vigil so that peace is not hampered months before the state goes into assembly polls.

The Assam Assembly elections for 126 constituencies are likely to take place in March-April this year. PTI TR COR SOM TR NN