Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a staunch supporter of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, faced black flag protest again on Sunday.
A group of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) activists waved black flags before Sharma’s convoy on National Highway 31 at Ghagrapar in Nalbari district when Sharma was on his way to Dakshingaon in the district to lay the foundation stone of Nalbari Medical College and Hospital.
The incident led to a clash between BJP supporters and AASU activists injuring at least five AASU activists.
Locals said police resorted to lathi charge on the AASU activists to disperse them.
BJP workers along with Minister Sarma had taken out a bike rally from Rangia to Nalbari when AASU activists waved black flags before the minister’s convoy.
This is the fourth time minister Sharma faced black flag protests. While black flags were shown to Sarma on Tuesday at Pathsala in Barpeta district by AASU activists, the activists of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) did the same on Monday at Kamalpur in Kamrup district.
The minister faced black flag protest in Nagaon as well on Wednesday when he had gone there to attend an event.
Earlier, Sarma had said that black flag protesters are part of a syndicate. “It is a conspiracy to malign BJP. Our party workers will counter the black flag protesters,” Sarma had said.
Meanwhile, minister Sarma was also shown black flags by members of Tamulpur sub-division AASU unit as the minister went to attend a marriage ceremony of some relatives of MP Biswajit Daimari in Suwagpur area of Baksa district on Sunday.
The AASU members waived black flags to Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Matanga Chawk on the Rangia-Tamulpur-Bhutan road at around 6.35 pm and shouted slogans against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
The protestors also shouted slogans like ‘Himanta Biswa Sarma Murdabad’, ‘BJP Go Back’, ‘Scrap Citizenship Amendment Bill’, etc.
The protestors, who created an unruly situation, were later detained by police and they were taken to the Tamulpur Police Station.
On the other hand, picking up of a pedestrian and assault on him by the security force personnel has created strong reactions in Tamulpur.