1 dead, 14 injured in communal clash in Assam's Hailakandi; curfew clamped
Hailakandi: The Army has been called in to maintain peace after curfew was clamped in this district of Assam on Friday following a communal clash that left one person dead and 14 others injured, officials said.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has ordered an inquiry into the incident. Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli said the curfew was clamped from 6 pm in the district till 7 pm of May 12 as some groups were trying to "indulge in violence and there is apprehension of grave risk and danger to human life and property".
Earlier, an indefinite curfew was clamped only in Hailakandi town from 1 pm following the clash. The district administration sought the Army's help after clashes broke out between members of two communities when some people protested against prayers being held on a road in front of a mosque, the officials said.
At least 15 people were injured, three of them critically, in the clash and more than 15 vehicles damaged and 12 shops vandalised and set on fire in different parts of the town, they said.
Official sources said one of the injured died at Silchar Medical College and Hospital at night. He has been identified as Jashim Uddin, 28, they added.
Trouble started when a group of people decided to hold the Friday noon prayers on the road, located at Kali Bari point of the town, in protest against some motorcycles being damaged by people belonging to another community, the officials said. Police attempted to disperse the protestors by firing in the air in which 15 people were injured, they said.
Jalli said a tense situation arose which ''necessitated immediate and speedy action for the maintenance of public peace and tranquility''. Appealing to the people not to spread rumours, she said "the administration was doing everything to maintain peace and security of the people".
"It is not a communal clash but two-three miscreants have created all this," Jalli said. She said the situation was under control with the deployment of personnel from the CRPF and the Assam Rifles.
Chief Minister Sonowal has directed Additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Bora to conduct an inquiry into the incident and submit a report to the government. The chief minister while reviewing the situation also directed the district administration to take all necessary measures to maintain law and order.
Sonowal also called on the people of the state to maintain peace and harmony and not to allow the divisive forces to create unrest. He warned of strict action against forces inimical to the interests of the state and its people.
As per the directions of the chief minister, Environment & Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, ADGP Mukesh Agarwalla and Commissioner of Barak Valley Region Anuwaruddin Choudhury are already headed to Hailakandi to take stock of the situation, a government release said.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
