GUWAHATI, Sept 26 - Several leading citizens under the banner of Assamor Nagarik Samaj, have condemned the arrest of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi under the provisions of the National Security Act (NSA).
The leading citizens, who include Dr Hiren Gohain, Prof Udayaditta Bharali, noted litterateurs Nirupama Bargohain, Arupa Patangia Kalita, Debabrata Das, Sameer Tanti and Jyotish Sikdar, Leftist leader Abani Barthakur, advocate Arup Barbara, journalists Haider Hussain and Prasanta Rajguru, educationist and theatre personality Sitanath Lahkar, educationist Chandan Sarma of Dibrugarh University, senior physician Dr Navaneel Barua, among others, have, in a statement mailed to the media houses this evening, described this act of the State government as a reflection of its fascist attitude.
They said that during the 1990s, democratic movements faced such fascist attacks. Sarbananda Sonowal, the present Chief Minister of the State, had then led the democratic agitations against all such onslaughts on democratic movements. But now under his stewardship, the State government has started attacking the democratic rights of the people, they lamented.
The arrest of Akhil Gogoi on two occasions during the current year for his attempts at building a resistance movement against the communal activities of the State government, is nothing but a serious attack on democratic values, they said and demanded immediate release of the KMSS leader.
Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Debabrata Saikia, has also condemned this act of the State government as autocratic. The present BJP-led government in the State has started an unhealthy tradition of suppressing the dissenting voice by using brute force, he said.
The previous State government led by the Congress had also conflicted with Akhil Gogoi. But since the Congress is always for democratic values, it did not take such harsh steps like arresting Akhil Gogoi under provisions of the NSA, said Saikia. He urged the State government to review its stand on Akhil and appealed to the people and other political parties to raise their voice of protest against the arrest of Akhil Gogoi under provisions of the NSA.
