Assam: Protesters burn effigy of Himanta Biswa Sarma amid outrage over attack on Congress MP

Tensions flared in Dhubri as protesters burned an effigy of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma outside Rajib Bhawan on February 20. The demonstration was a direct response to the attack on Congress MP Rakibul Hussain earlier that day.

Hussain was assaulted by unidentified individuals at Natun Bazar while heading to a Congress workers' meeting in Gunabari.

Sources revealed that a group of masked individuals waving black flags confronted the MP before launching the attack. In the chaos, Hussain’s bodyguard was also assaulted. To prevent further escalation, security personnel fired warning shots in the air, allowing Hussain to leave the scene safely.

Effigy burning has become a frequent form of protest in Assam’s political landscape. Two months ago, demonstrators set fire to an effigy of CM Sarma outside Indira Bhawan in Sribhumi, protesting the death of a Congress worker.

Six months prior, the Assam Tea Tribes Students Association (ATTSA) staged a similar protest in Dibrugarh, condemning alleged police brutality.