On a humid afternoon in March, in Nalbari, Himanta Biswa Sarma stood atop an open jeep for 14 hours. Since 8.30 am, he had been waving at a sea of people lining the streets. Thousands jostled to touch him, kiss him, and hand him water bottles, home-cooked food, fruit, framed portraits, a shampoo bottle and a face wash. He drank from strangers’ bottles, ate food handed up to him and ignored every protocol attached to a Z-Plus protectee.
