‘Rahul Gandhi is a mad person; sometimes with beard, sometimes clean-shaven’: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on September 19 launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of the arrest of the party's Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan, saying the police had a duty to act against a person facing pending criminal cases.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Madhupur Sattra in West Bengal's Cooch Behar, Sarma also mocked Gandhi's appearance and questioned the Congress over fielding Pradhan as a candidate.

“Rahul Gandhi is a mad person; sometimes you see him with a beard, sometimes clean-shaven,” Sarma said, reacting to Gandhi's description of Pradhan's arrest as “targeting the opposition” and “murder of democracy”.

Defending the arrest, Sarma said Pradhan was facing cases registered during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram.

“What kind of a candidate will you call him? I have read in the newspapers that two or three murder cases were registered against him in 2007. When such matters come to light, the police will definitely have to arrest him as it is their duty,” he said.

According to the West Bengal Police, Pradhan was arrested on the basis of four pending arrest warrants in connection with non-bailable cases. The cases relate to allegations including murder, attempt to murder, abduction with intent to murder, disappearance of evidence, house trespass and rioting with arms and deadly weapons. The cases were registered during the 2007 protests against land acquisition in Nandigram.

The arrest triggered a political confrontation ahead of the bypoll, with Gandhi accusing the authorities of targeting the Opposition.

The Trinamool Congress also questioned the timing of the arrest. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the arrest came shortly after her party announced support for the Congress candidate and alleged that the BJP was using an old case for political purposes.

“The timing (of the arrest) raises serious questions and is the usual BJP formula: dig out an old case. But why now? Just after we announced support to the Congress!” Banerjee said in a post on X.

She further alleged that “the election agency-BJP partnership is killing democracy every day”, while accusing the BJP of intimidation and political vendetta.

The BJP has rejected the allegations, maintaining that Pradhan's arrest was linked to pending criminal cases and was not politically motivated.

The state police has also maintained that repeated attempts had been made to arrest Pradhan in the past but were unsuccessful as he had allegedly been absconding.

The controversy comes amid preparations for the Nandigram bypoll, with the arrest of the Congress candidate adding another political flashpoint to the contest.