Guwahati: A court in Dibrugarh district on Thursday granted four days’ police custody to the leader of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS), Akhil Gogoi who was arrested from his Golaghat residence on Wednesday night by Dibrugarh police on charges threatening to take up arms against the State for protection of indigenous people in the state.
The police registered a case (No 180/2017) against Akhil Gogoi in Moran Police Station in Dibrugarh district under CrPC Sections 120(B)/121/124 (A)/109/153/(A)/34 after the KMSS leader while addressing a public meeting at Bamunbari under Moran Police station on Tuesday allegedly threatened to take up AK-47 against the state to protect the rights of indigenous people in view of BJP-led government’s attempt to grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshi migrants.
The KMSS leader was leading a movement against the BJP-led Central government’s move to grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshi refugees. The KMSS maintains that once lakhs of Hindu Bangladeshi refugees are granted citizenship, the identity of indigenous populace will come under threat.
Even as the protests were raging in various parts of Assam against the arrest of the KMSS leader, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal stated that government of Assam would take stern action against the nefarious design of any anti-social elements which are hell-bound to foment trouble and weaken the age old secular fabric of the State.
Sonowal said, “Threats of weapons is a challenge for a democratic society. Government welcomes all criticism made democratically. However, any attempt to intimidate the established system, government is all prepared to defeat such forces with appropriate actions”.
He further said, “It has come to light to the government about the alleged nefarious design of anti-social elements trying to foment trouble to disturb the social harmony of our State”. State Government has taken a stern view on such developments and vowed to take all actions to defeat such forces.
Chief Minister Sonowal also appealed to all sections of the people of the State to remain vigilant on the alleged attempt of the anti-social forces and urged them to maintain peace and harmony.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress on Thursday criticised the `fascist attitude’ of the BJP-led government in the state over the arrest of Akhil Gogoi. Former chief minister and Congress leader Tarun Gogoi said that the way Akhil Gogoi was arrested by police without allowing him to wear a proper dress reflected the fascist attitude of the BJP government.