GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday claimed that the “body double” allegedly used by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in the state has been “identified” and details will be revealed later.
Addressing a press conference here, Sarma also asserted that the “body double” left the yatra midway after a media outlet reported about his presence, creating a controversy.
“We have identified the body double, which was used by Rahul Gandhi during the padyatra. We have now confirmed that during most of the roadshows, Rahul was not cheering the crowd. His body double was cheering the crowd,” the CM claimed.
Sarma said he will call a press meet on the issue and reveal the identity and other details of the “body double” once Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves the state, after completing his two-day trip, beginning Saturday.
“After they (media outlet) exposed and uploaded the photograph, that person quietly left Assam from Guwahati airport to Delhi without participating in the last leg (of the yatra),” he said.
The ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ journeyed through Assam from January 18 to January 25 during which Gandhi had locked horns with Sarma on several occasions.
Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, added that two cases were registered in Assam in connection with the Congress march – one each in Jorhat and Guwahati.
The Congress had alleged denial or problems in route permissions throughout the state, with the flashpoint reaching Guwahati when its leaders and workers broke police barricades, as they were “prevented” from entering the city.
An FIR was registered against Gandhi and others over the Guwahati incident, with Sarma later stating that they will be arrested after the Lok Sabha polls, as he did not want to “politicise” the issue prior to the elections.
Another FIR was registered against the yatra organisers for allegedly deviating from its permitted route inside Jorhat town, leading to a “chaotic situation” in the area.
The Jorhat Police has already issued notices to the accused persons and several of them have already been interrogated.
“For the Guwahati case, we have formed an SIT, which has already started work. The Jorhat case is being investigated in the normal way,” Sarma said. (PTI)