GUWAHATI: Over 200 bikers from across the Northeast, including 12 from Meghalaya, converged at Khanapara here for a peace rally on Sunday morning, with a pledge to unite against mob lynching and moral policing and push for a legislation deterring a Dokmoka-like incident.
Red Land Brothers, Axom, a Royal Enfield motorcycle club, organised the rally as a tribute to Nilotpal Das and Abhijeet Nath, who were lynched by a mob at Panjuri-Kacharigaon under Dokmoka police station in Karbi Anglong on June 8.
The bikers carried placards with messages such as “#Brotherhood is above religion and caste”, “Verify before you share on social media” and “United we can do so much”. There was display of bonding among the participants who came from Garo Hills, Shillong and Mumbai among other places as they kicked off a campaign they pledge to sustain.
“The rally saw the participation of all Royal Enfield biker clubs with over 200 riders from Assam, Meghalaya (Shillong and Tura) and even Mumbai converging here and uniting for a cause. Those riders who could not take part in the peace rally have offered their support and cooperation. We had people from Karbi Anglong also supporting us over phone,” Anup Sarmah, the general secretary of Red Land Brothers’ Axom, told The Shillong Times.
“From our side we would humbly appeal for the enforcement of a law to act against a deterrent against moral policing and mob lynching. Simultaneously people need to be made aware of the judicial system as well,” Sarmah said.
The bikers have pledged to take the message against the menace to other parts of Northeast as well.
“Yes, there are plans for spreading the message through a similar programme across the Northeast. For now though, we want to sustain this campaign in the city starting with an event at Shradhanjali Kanan on July 8, a month after the Dokmoka incident, and follow it up every Sunday,” he said.
Earlier, Geetashree Konwar, the general secretary of International Human Rights Council, India, flagged off the rally as chief guest. The programme was also attended by actor Rajib Kro and social activist, Shyamkanu Mahanta.
