The anti-CAA activist vows to revive his movement against the discriminatory law
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI— As soon as anti-CAA activist Akhil Gogoi was released from detention after getting bail from the court in Assam, he termed the verdict “historic” and labelled the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as a “mere political tool” in the hands of the Modi government. He said his case is evidence of how the government abuses UAPA and NIA Act.
“My case proves the gross misuse of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the NIA Act. The verdict will be a milestone for those arrested through the misuse of the two legislations,” Gogoi, who is now an MLA, said in an interview to PTI soon after release from prison.
He was arrested in December 2019 on terror charges under UAPA for his alleged role in violent protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam.
The charge sheet against Gogoi and two other accused alleged that they had conspired to incite hatred and disaffection towards the government and promoted enmity among groups during the protests.
The special NIA court while clearing Gogoi said that his speeches show that he cannot be charged with any incitement to violence.
The courts asserted that temporary blockades during protests in democracy, if unaccompanied by any incitement to violence, would not constitute a terrorist act within the meaning of Section 15 of the UAPA.
Gogoi said that NIA has become a “political agency” like CBI and ED.
“Even on Thursday, the NIA wanted to slap a fresh case but by the time they reached the court with the appeal, the verdict was already out,” he said.
Gogoi said the accusations made in the additional charge sheet filed on June 29 are “false charges of honey trapping, cow smuggling and training at a Maoist camp”.
He further alleged that he was offered an instant bail if he would agree to join RSS or BJP, a charge he had made earlier in May in a letter.
“When they took me into custody, their only question was whether I would join the RSS. Not once had they asked anything about my alleged links with Maoists. My CIO D R Singh never spoke about red rebels before me. He said that if I joined the RSS, I would be released in 10 days.
“When I replied in negative, he offered me to join the BJP and become a minister. I refused that too. He then said that I would be jailed for 10 years,” Gogoi said.
He described his bail order as a “turning point” in the judiciary as it shows “pressure from the executive” does not work forever.
Gogoi said that the protest movement against the Citizenship Amendment Act would be revived.
Now that I am out, I want to assure the people that the anti-CAA movement will resume. No (illegal) foreigner will be allowed to stay in the state,” he said on the way to his constituency Sivasagar, a day after he was released from jail.
He left Guwahati for Sivasagar, around 400 KM away. Reports said that he had to stop at multiple places to meet his supporters who had lined up on the way to greet him.
“This outpour of people’s love for a jailed person like me proves that I was wrongly confined. The BJP kept me behind bars and won a second term but this won’t happen again.
“In 2026, a new government will be formed. The BJP ‘hatao’ (remove BJP) movement starts from today,” said Gogoi, who heads his own party Raijor Dal president.
