Akhil Gogoi is treated in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 (File)
Guwahati:
The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti Peasant Corps (KMSS) staged protests across Assam on Tuesday, demanding the release of its leader Akhil Gogoi as well as the repeal of the contentious citizenship law (amendment).
Members of the organization defied the prohibition orders in Guwahati and were arrested, while in other places she formed human chains, performed songs and created works of art in support. of their request.
In the state capital, KMSS supporters defied Article 144 and formed a human chain and shouted slogans, demanding the release of Gogoi and the repeal of the law.
“They had no authorization to organize the demonstration. So we arrested them for violating the prohibition orders,” said a senior police official.
Gogoi is being treated at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital after testing positive for COVID-19. He contracted the virus at Guwahati Central Prison, where he was housed for his alleged role in violent anti-CAA protests last year.
KMSS Chairman Raju Bora said the group revived the anti-CAA movement from Tuesday and will continue until the controversial law is repealed.
“This time the agitation will be more united and more powerful. The BJP government is afraid of Akhil Gogoi and that is why they put him in prison. They want to stop the voice of the people by imprisoning Gogoi,” he said. he adds.
In the town of Jorhat, artists, students, educators, advocates, journalists and ordinary people joined in the commotion and performed songs and recited poems, while painters created sketches to make assert their claims.
Dergaon, Merapani, Bokakhat and many other places in Golaghat district have also witnessed cultural events.
In Dibrugarh, farmers organized a unique demonstration by planting rice seedlings on their paddy fields. People also formed human chains in several other places in the neighborhood.
In the Chenimari area of Barpeta, which is ravaged by the devastating flooding, people have protested standing and forming human chains on their nationally made boats.
Artistic expressions and various similar have been observed in other districts including Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Nagaon, Morigaon, Dhemaji, Darrang, Kamrup, Bongaigaon, Sonitpur, Goalpara, Dhubri and Baksa.
Hailakandi and Cachar districts of the Barak Valley have also seen protests, demanding the release of the RTI activist.
In the midst of an intense anti-CAA movement, Gogoi was arrested on December 12 in Jorhat as a “preventive measure” in view of the deterioration of the public order situation in the state and his three colleagues have were taken into police custody the next day.
They were then handed over to the National
Investigative agency for probing their alleged role in the violent protest and their possible links with Maoist elements.
Previously, the NIA Special Court granted Gogoi bail on March 17 in the Chandmari Police Station case and subsequently to others after the investigative agency failed to file a sheet. charge within the specified period of 90 days.
The Gauhati High Court subsequently suspended the bond.
His three associates – Dhaijya Konwar, Bittu Sonowal and Manash Konwar – have now obtained bail in the NIA case and have been released from prison.
The NIA is investigating two cases, initially recorded at the Chandmari and Chabua police stations, related to the alleged role of Gogoi and his three colleagues in the violent protests.
On May 29, the NIA filed the indictment in the Chandmari case against Gogoi and three of his colleagues for sedition and terrorist activities for their alleged role in violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in December. from last year.
The four leaders were subsequently arrested in a number of old cases registered at various police stations in Assam. They got a bond in most of these cases.
Gogoi was released on bail on July 16 by the Gauhati High Court for three Assam police cases relating to the burning of a post office, circle office and branch of United Bank of India in Chabua in Dibrugarh district during an anti-CAA demonstration.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
