"Clearly a political conspiracy...": KC Venugopal on FIR against Rahul Gandhi in Assam

New Delhi [India], January 24 (ANI): Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal has slammed the Assam government after state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ordered police to register a case against Rahul Gandhi and called the action a "political conspiracy".
Speaking to ANI, Venugopal said that it is not the duty of the CM to ask the police to file an FIR against an individual.
"This is like old Maharaja rule. If there is a law-and-order situation, it is the duty of the police to register an FIR. It is not the duty of the CM to ask the police to file an FIR against an individual. This is clearly a political conspiracy. CM has become the Director General of Police..." the Congress leader said.
The Congress MP further said that the actions being taken by the Assam government will not be succeed.
"These tactics to intimidate and threaten the Congress party are not going to succeed at all," he added.
Rahul, along with Congress general secretary Venugopal and National Students' Union of India All India Congress Committee Incharge Kanhaiya Kumar, were booked along with others after clashes erupted between party supporters and the police after being denied entry to the state capital on Monday.
The FIR, registered at the behest of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday, accused Rahul and other party leaders, who are part of the Congress's ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', of 'wanton acts of violence'.
However, the case was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Assam.
On Saturday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said an FIR was registered against Rahul, Venugopal, and Kanhaiya Kumar, among others, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
"With reference to wanton acts of violence, provocation, damage to public property, and assault on police personnel today by Cong members, an FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Kanhaiya Kumar, and other individuals under Section 120(B) 143/147/188/283/353/332/333/427 IPC R/W Sec. 3 of the PDPP Act," CM Sarma posted from his official X handle on Wednesday.
The FIR was filed after the Assam chief minister, on Tuesday, warned of a criminal case against Rahul, adding that he would have him arrested after the Lok Sabha elections.
Following the clash between police and Congress workers in the Khanapara area, the Assam CM alleged that Rahul tried to force his way into Guwahati with about 3000 supporters and 200 vehicles.
"You can imagine what the situation might have been had 3000 people and 200 vehicles entered Guwahati. For six days, we had been asking him to take an alternative route that would be more acceptable to us. However, he insisted on passing through Guwahati.
Despite being advised against it, the Congress workers tried to force their way into Gauhati and clashed with the police," the Assam CM told reporters.
Meanwhile, responding to the registration of an FIR against him, Rahul dared the CM to file "as many cases as he wants", adding that he wasn't scared or intimidated.
"I don't know what gave him (CM Sarma) the idea that he could scare Rahul Gandhi. File as many cases as you want against me, I am not afraid. I am neither scared of the BJP nor the RSS. If you have filed 25 cases against me, file 25 more. Be happy," Rahul said earlier while addressing a public meeting at Barpeta on the sidelines of the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'. (ANI)