Activist Akhil Gogoi arrested on charges of sedition in Assam

Activist Akhil Gogoi was arrested on charges of sedition in Assam on Wednesday. Gogoi is a well-known farmers' leader and an RTI activist.

Guwahati, Sep 14: On Wednesday, farmers' leader and Right to Information (RTI) activist Akhil Gogoi was arrested by the police on charges of sedition from Golaghat in Assam.

The police charged Gogoi, who heads the peasants' organisation, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samittee (KMSS), of instigating people to take up arms against the government at a meeting on Tuesday in Moran.

According to the police, the anti-establishment activist has been also accused of spreading religious animosity.

The police said a case under Sections 120(B), 121, 124(A), 109, 153 and 153(A) of the Indian Penal Code was registered over speeches Gogoi and pro-talks United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) leader Jiten Dutta had made at the public rally on Tuesday.

IPC 121 is "waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India". It prescribes death or life imprisonment.

The public meeting at Moran was organised to protest against various issues like Citizenship Amendment Act, 2016 and non-implementation of Assam Accord.

Gogoi spoke at the meeting held at Bamumbari Tea Garden. While addressing the gathering, Gogoi and Dutta, leader of pro-talk ULFA, "instigated the common people to wage war against the nation and also delivered speech against communal harmony," a statement from the Assam Police headquarters in Guwahati said.

"They also announced that they would go for use of arms on non-fulfilment of their demands and they are ready to use 'Hangdang' (sword) and AK-47 rifle in their movement against the government," the statement said.

Of late, Gogoi has been vociferously speaking against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for spreading the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agenda in Assam.

The activist-leader is also leading farmers' agitations across the state and anti-corruption crusade.

OneIndia News