Public meeting held to demand Akhil Gogoi's release

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, Oct 22: Over 22 organizations from the district of Jorhat demanded early release of peasant leader Akhil Gogoi at a public meeting held at the Mukti Jujaru Bhavan. The meeting was held under the presidentship of Jibeswar Saikia, former president of Mab Adhikar Sangram Samiti, Assam, while the welcome address was delivered by Niranjan Mahanta, a senior jourlist from Jorhat on Sunday.

Niranjan Mahanta during his speech spoke about the present government’s attitude to book Akhil Gogoi under tiol Security Act. He said that arresting Gogoi was part of a conspiracy to keep him in jail for some time so that many anti-Assamese policies could be taken forward like NHPC dam construction at Gugamukh, Bangladeshis to be enrolled in the NRC process and the galim issue.

“To book Akhil Gogoi under NSA is only a drama for the political benefit of the Sarbanda Sonowal government,” said Hemen Bora, a legal expert from the Jorhat Bar Association. He said it was high time for people to come forward to fight for justice. “Akhil Gogoi’s arrest is totally undemocratic and unconstitutiol and we have to fight for it,” he said.

Manjit Kalita, the president of Mab Adhikar Sangram Samiti, further stated that for Akhil Gogoi’s release, a large number of organizations and individuals were ready to fight for justice . Rajib Gogoi, the president of Tai Ahom Students’ Union, said, “The Tai Ahom community people are all ready to fight, if required traditiolly using hangdung, for the  release of Akhil Gogoi.”