Gogoi, other Cong leaders held for demo at GST meet venue

Guwahati, Nov. 9 (PTI): Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and other senior Congress leaders were arrested today while they were demonstrating outside a hotel, the venue of the GST Council meeting, here.
Besides Gogoi, the arrested leaders included state Congress chief Ripun Bora, Leader of Opposition Debabrat Saikia and former minister Rakibul Hussain.
Guwahati Police Commissioner Hiren Chandra Nath said the Congress leaders were arrested for violation of Section 144 of CrPC imposed outside the venue of the meet.
“The Congress wanted to demonstrate before the GST Council. So we had to stop them,” Nath told PTI.
The arrested persons were later released on personal bond.
A Congress spokesperson said the party had welcomed the GST Council meet in the city but its leaders and workers were demonstrating there with a demand that the 28 per cent tax slab be abolished completely.
“It’s a shocking behaviour of the government,” the spokesperson said.
He also expressed anguish over the police taking Gogoi, who enjoys Z Plus category security, in an ordinary bus after arrest.
“He is a former CM. He enjoys Z Plus security. It’s a dictatorial attitude of the government,” the spokesperson said.
The two-day GST Council meet is taking place from today at luxury hotel in Guwahati.