Guwahati, Dec. 17 (PTI): Peasants’ leader Akhil Gogoi, arrested under the stringent UAPA amid protests over the citizenship law, was sent to 10-day NIA custody on Tuesday by a special court here.
Akhil Gogoi was arrested on December 12 in Jorhat under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA amid widespread violent protests in the state and was later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader was brought to the city from Jorhat amid tight security and was produced at the court, which remanded him to 10-day NIA custody.
The court also directed the NIA to ensure regular medical checkup of Akhil Gogoi, and allow his family members and lawyers to meet.
As the firebrand leader was being taken to the court, he shouted at waiting journalists that he has been subjected to “prochondo atyachar (extreme torture)”.
“The agitation must not stop. I appeal to people to continue the protests till the law is repealed,” he continued as security personnel rushed him to the courtroom
AASU leaders, actor court arrest for the second day, released
AASU leaders Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya and Lurinjyoti Gogoi along with actor Barsha Rani Bishaya and hundreds of other agitators courted arrest for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as part of their ‘Mass Satyagraha’ against the amended citizenship law, police said.
Guwahati Police Commissioner Munna Prasad Gupta told PTI that the AASU activists had courted arrest and were “not detained”. “They are doing this as part of their Satyagraha programme. We released them later and now they are on their way to their homes,” he said.
The agitators courted arrest in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metropolitan district and were taken to a temporary jail inside the Dighalipukhuri tank complex.
All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) chief adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya said the Centre has to either repeal the amended Citizenship Act or keep arresting them every day. AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said the government is on one side doing nothing to repeal the Act and on the other doing a “drama” by arresting them.
“The government is playing the Hindutva card. However, Assam will not fall prey to their communal agenda,” he said. Bishaya termed the amended Citizenship Act as an “anti-Assam Act” and said protests against it will continue.
AASU’s three-day ‘Mass Satyagraha’ began on Monday at Latasil playground and they marched towards the DC’s office on Tuesday. Apart from students, actors, musicians, singers, teachers, lawyers, doctors and litterateurs and the elderly took part in the protest march. They sang and recited poems inside the temporary jail complex.
Gauhati HC directs Assam govt. to consider restoration of internet services
The Gauhati High Court passed an order directing the Assam government to consider restoration of Internet services, both mobile Internet services and broadband, from 3.00 pm on Tuesday.
After hearing four PILs and considering the difficulties faced by people, a division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Ajay Lamba and Justice Achintya Malla Bujor Barua passed the order on Tuesday directing the state government to consider restoration of Internet services. The order also said that while restoring the services, the authorities should take into consideration the input of the prevailing situation.
The court fixed December 19 as the next date of hearing. The PILs were filed by journalist Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, advocate Bonoshri Gogoi and others on the issue of suspension of internet services, both mobile data and broadband, since December 11 evening.