The Congress on Friday staged protests across the state over the attack on the party’s Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain in Nagaon district by a mob, ten of whom have been identified by the police but are on the run.

The protests were led by Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah in Silchar and by Congress legislature party leader Debabrata Saikia inside the Assembly in Guwahati, with both condemning the attack on Hussain, and the deteriorating law and order situation under chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Other Opposition parties – CPM, Assam Jatiya Parishad, Raijor Dal, also condemned the incident.

Hussain was on his way to a party meeting in Rupahihat on two-wheelers when he and his security personnel were stopped and attacked by a mob.

Videos of the attack, which have gone viral, shows Hussain falling down while trying to drive away after a person attacked him with a cricket bat. The attackers also purportedly hurled blows and kicks on a security personnel.

While seeking adjournment of the Assembly proceedings to discuss the attack on Hussain, who has lodged a complaint with the police naming 22 persons, Saikia said violence has no place in democracy while seeking government protection for members of Opposition parties.

He also criticised the government for sharing “incomplete identity” of the 10 suspects in the state Assembly. The surnames of the persons were not shared.

Saikia expressed his concern over the message the attack would sent to potential investors attending the Advantage Assam 2.0investment summit.

“Will investors feel safe in Assam if elected people’s representatives are targetted? How could the MP be attacked despite sharing information about his travel plans beforehand?” Saikia said.

The Congress also submitted a memorandum to state governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, expressing the party’s anguish and concern over the “alarming deterioration” of law and order in Assam.