Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that a “deadliest” attack was planned to demolish Guwahati city during the recent street violence over the controversial the Citizenship (Amendment) Act(CAA). The Minister further pointed out that an academician was monitoring the entire exercise.

Sarma also added that the intellectual working at a Central government institution had choreographed the attack to burn down the Janata Bhawan in Dispur. He displayed photos of the violence indicating Youth Congress president Kamrul Islam’s presence at a site of arson.

“The violence at Janata Bhswan was choreographed under the instructions of a leading academician working with a Central government institution. He was monitoring the entire exercise from a control room. They had plans to burn down Janata Bhawan that day. We have seen a design and we are talking with evidence.” He said.

He alleged that members of the Congress, Islamic organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) have been behind the violence and vandalism and that out of 107 persons arrested in Guwahati, 50% of the people were roped in from Goalpara, Dhubri and Barpeta districts in Lower Assam.

As many as 200 cases of arson, vandalism, looting, attempt to murder, burning of government property has been registered with the police and 273 people arrested so far, Sarma informed.

The Minister further added that the state government has been collecting videos of the violence showing the involvement of members of an organisation. “We are going to them expose soon” he added.

Meanwhile, a special investigation team (SIT) headed by deputy inspector general (CID) Mridulananda Sarmah has been constituted to probe the incidents of violence.

Photo: @himantabiswasarma