Guwahati, Oct 15 — Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday announced massive, peaceful rallies in Tezpur, Dibrugarh and Barpeta Road, accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of attempting to bring about regime change through street protests and political pressure.
In a statement, CM Sarma said Tezpur, regarded as the cultural capital of Assam, would witness a large peaceful rally against what he described as Gandhi’s attempts to change the government through street demonstrations in Delhi.
The Chief Minister asserted that the electoral mandate of millions of Indians could not be overturned by protests involving a few thousand Congress workers.
“The mandate of millions of Indian people cannot be overturned by demonstrations of a few thousand political workers affiliated to the Congress party,” CM Sarma said.
Emphasising the importance of democratic institutions and electoral processes, the Chief Minister said governments must be changed through elections rather than political intimidation or street protests.
“In a democracy, governments are changed through Election not through political intimidation,” he said.
CM Sarma also announced similar rallies in Dibrugarh, which he described as Assam’s second capital, and Barpeta Road.
He said the proposed demonstrations would reaffirm opposition to any attempt to bring about regime change through street protests and political pressure. The rallies come amid a political confrontation over protests in the national capital and the Congress party’s criticism of the ruling establishment.
CM Sarma's remarks underline the BJP's position that street demonstrations should not be used to challenge an elected government's legitimacy outside the established democratic process. The Chief Minister's announcement also signals an effort by the BJP leadership in Assam to mobilise public support against the Congress' political campaign and project the rallies as a defence of the electoral mandate.
The rallies in the three locations are expected to draw party workers and supporters, with the BJP seeking to convey its opposition to what it characterises as attempts to destabilise an elected government through political pressure.
However, CM Sarma's statement did not specify the expected turnout or provide further details about the arrangements for the rallies. The political exchange reflects the continuing contest between the BJP and Congress over democratic legitimacy, public mobilisation and the role of street protests in challenging government policies and decisions.