Congress spokesperson arrested over social media post, sparks political storm in Assam

Guwahati, March 15: Assam Congress spokesperson and lawyer Reetam Singh was arrested in Guwahati on Saturday morning by Lakhimpur police, with assistance from Guwahati police. The arrest follows an FIR filed by the wife of Lakhimpur BJP MLA Manab Deka over a controversial social media post by Singh.

The case (No. 91/2025) was lodged under Section 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and multiple sections of the IT Act. Singh had questioned why BJP leaders accused of sexual assault—including Manab Deka, former state BJP president Bhabesh Kalita, and ex-Union minister Rajen Gohain—had not faced legal consequences. His post on X stated: “These culprits got the punishment they deserved. But what about @BJP4Assam r@pe accused Ministers and MLAs like Manab Deka, Ex Party President Bhabesh Kalita, ex-Minister Rajen Gohain?”

Deka’s wife subsequently filed an FIR, demanding that Singh prove her husband was a rapist.

This is not Singh’s first brush with the law. In April 2024, just before the Lok Sabha elections, he was arrested for allegedly circulating a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and sharing abusive content on social media.

Singh’s latest arrest has triggered a political uproar, with Congress leaders accusing the BJP-led Assam government of weaponizing law enforcement. Senior Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi condemned the move, calling it a blatant attack on free speech.

“A team of Lakhimpur police arrived in Guwahati and forcibly took Reetam Singh into custody. When I reached his residence, he was being brutally dragged away. The police even denied me the right to speak to him,” Gogoi alleged.

He also questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is currently in Assam inaugurating a new police academy in Dergaon. “A few days ago, BJP workers assaulted two Assam police constables in broad daylight, yet no action was taken. But when a Congress leader tweets something, the police act as if he’s a dangerous criminal. Is Amit Shah blind to this blatant misuse of power under Himanta Biswa Sarma?” Gogoi said.

Congress leaders have labelled Singh’s arrest “an act of extreme anarchy” and accused the BJP of suppressing dissent while shielding its own members from legal action. Gogoi further criticized the Assam police for being used as a political tool, warning that such actions could tarnish their credibility and lead to legal repercussions.

“The Supreme Court has repeatedly instructed the police to act within the legal framework. But under CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam police are being pressured into political vendettas,” he said.

The timing of the arrest—coinciding with Amit Shah’s visit to Assam—has fueled further allegations that the BJP is using law enforcement to silence opposition voices. With the Assam Assembly session approaching, Singh’s detention is expected to become a major flashpoint between the ruling BJP and the Congress. The opposition has vowed to fight the arrest legally and politically, calling for a fair and unbiased investigation into the case.

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