Activists, member of Parliament, refused to meet rights activist in Assam jail, allege suppression of right to dissent

By A Representative
Following the refusal to a civil society delegation to meet Krishak Multi Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi in jail in Dibrugadh, Assam, several farmers' leaders, who have got together under Bhumi Adhikar Andolan (BAA), have decided to raise their voice against "the continued incarceration of Gogoi is a political ploy to completely silence any voice of dissent in Assam today”.
Talking with newspersons in Delhi, they said, they went to meet Gogoi -- who has been in jail since September 13 under various charges 120B, 121,124, 109, 153, 153A and under National Security Act since September 25 -- on November 12. Hannan Mollah, general secretary, All-India Kisan Sabha, said, Gogoi has been "targeted primarily because he has been raising the voice of the farmers and workers. His activities are all constitutional. He has done nothing unconstitutional. The trumped up charges against him are only an indication of the fascistic tendencies of the Assam government, completely in line with the Central government."
Well-known forest workers' union leader Dr Sunilam, who led the delegation along with Raju Shetty, member of Parliament, alleged that "the behaviour of the whole Assam government, including the district and state government, is completely undemocratic and doesn’t go well in a democratic society."
"The denial of permission on the ground that they need to conduct a background check on him and a sitting member of Parliament only reflects their ill intent. There was no plausible reason given by anyone on why they couldn’t meet Akhil Gogoi, even though permission was sought on October 8th itself through proper channels", he added.
"This is nothing but political persecution, since the issues undertaken by KMSS and matters of corruption raised by them have all been proved true. The water scam, the Public Distribution System (PDS) scam, and now the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) scam have been raised by the KMSS. However, the corrupt Assam government is doing nothing", he said.
Senior activist Roma, who had met Gogoi in jail on October 31, in Dibrugarh jail said that "KMSS has been working to implement the Forest Rights Act and ensure community rights of the tribals and other traditional forest dwelling communities. It has openly challenged the feudal forces and the growth of communal forces, and this has only threatened them."
"His incarceration under the National Security Act is like what has been done to Bhim Army chief Chandrashekar Ravan. This is a clear indication that those fighting for the rights of the marginalized will only face worst kind of oppression under BJP regime", she said.
Meanwhile, BAA announced that, in coordination with other farmer’s organisations of the All-India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, would launch a movement on the issue of "oppression against KMSS at the Kisan Mukti Sansad from November 20 onwards in Delhi."

Comments

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Concentration of wealth in India at levels 'comparable to colonial times', says new report

By Jag Jivan A new report published in March 2026 by the Centre for Financial Accountability and the Tax The Top campaign paints a stark picture of deepening economic disparity in India, documenting a concentration of wealth that it argues is “comparable to colonial times.” Titled Wealth Tracker India | Tax the Top. Close the Gap , the compilation presents data from the World Inequality Database and the Hurun Rich List to illustrate the meteoric rise of the ultra-wealthy alongside the stagnation and debt burdens of the majority.

Protesters in UK cities voice concerns over alleged developments in Bastar region

By A Representative Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”

Beneath the stone: Revisiting the New Jersey mandir controversy

By Rajiv Shah A recent report published in the British media outlet The Guardian , titled “Workers carved the largest modern Hindu temple in the west. Now, some have incurable lung disease,” took me back to my visits to the New Jersey mandir —first in 2022, when it was still under construction, though parts of it were open to visitors, and again in 2024, after its completion.

Search This Blog