Six Held for Throwing Water Bottle at Assam CM’s Convoy in Golaghat

A day after a plastic water bottle was thrown at the convoy of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Golaghat, the district police detained six individuals, including key Congress workers, in connection with the incident. The incident took place during the CM's official visit to the district and quickly escalated into a political controversy.

Among those detained were Pallab Chetia, Secretary of the Golaghat District Congress Committee, and Rahul Phukan, son of a former Block Congress Secretary. Both are said to be close to Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi. The incident, captured on video, did not result in any injuries, and the bottle did not strike any of the vehicles in the CM’s convoy directly. However, it raised major concerns over the security of a high-profile political figure.

Golaghat BJP MLA Biswajit Phukan strongly condemned the act, calling it a reflection of the Congress party’s disruptive political mindset. He said that throwing a two-litre bottle at the Chief Minister represents intolerance towards Sarma's popularity. Echoing similar sentiments, Assam Power Minister Prasanta Phukan labeled the incident a “serious security breach” and demanded strict action. He emphasized that such an act could be seen as an attempt on the CM’s life and demanded an immediate review of the Chief Minister’s security protocols.

The BJP quickly organized protests in Dibrugarh on Tuesday, demanding accountability and a public apology from the Congress party. The ruling party used the opportunity to showcase what they claimed was increasing political hostility and attempts to disrupt governance.

In contrast, the Congress party denied any involvement in the incident and called it a politically motivated move by the ruling party. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) senior spokesperson Rituporn Konwar stated that four of the detained Youth Congress leaders—Partha Sarathi Bora, Rupantar Tanti, Krishna Chutia, and Rahul Phukan—were “illegally detained.” Konwar argued that these individuals were not even present at the scene when the incident involving the CM’s convoy occurred. Instead, he claimed, they were arrested nearly an hour earlier during a peaceful demonstration against cattle theft in the area.

The Congress accused the administration of misusing the incident to target its workers and stifle opposition protests. The party maintained that this was part of a larger strategy by the BJP to suppress dissent and distract from the real issues affecting the state, such as law and order and rising prices.

The incident has now sparked a full-blown political blame game between the BJP and Congress in Assam. While the BJP continues to call for strong punitive measures and frame the act as a threat to the Chief Minister’s life, the Congress is portraying it as a crackdown on peaceful political expression.

As investigations continue, the state remains on edge, with both parties leveraging the event to their political advantage. The focus now shifts to law enforcement and how it manages the sensitive balance between ensuring security and upholding democratic rights.