The Assam police on Thursday registered a case of sedition against Left-leaning scholar Dr. Hiren Gohain, 80, for allegedly saying at a public meeting that demand for sovereignty might arise if the Centre ignores the voices of the Assamese people against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Similar cases were also registered at the Latasil Police Station against Akhil Gogoi, leader of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, and activist-journalist Manjit Mahanta.
“This is an attempt to muffle the voices of dissent. We are, in fact, trying to protect democracy because the Bharatiya Janata Party has brought an undemocratic, communal Bill,” Dr. Gohain told newspersons.
Mr. Mahanta said the scholar did not seek independence of Assam from India but had voiced concern about indigenous people seeking sovereignty if the Bill is eventually cleared.
The Bill, cleared by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, seeks to hasten the process of legalising the stay of non-Muslims from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who allegedly fled religious persecution and came to India till December 31, 2014.
The sedition case against Mr. Gogoi was filed after he allegedly said at a protest rally that seeking independence from India could be an option for the indigenous people if the Centre went ahead with the ‘jatidhwangshi’ (anti-race) Bill. He was arrested for sedition in September 2018 for allegedly inciting people to take up arms if Hindu migrants are forced upon Assam.
Condemning the case against Dr. Gohain, All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) chief advisor Samujjal K. Bhattacharya said it was a “sheer misuse of power” and would prove counter-productive for the Sarbananda Sonowal government.
The United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) too criticised the move against the scholar.
The Assam BJP defended the Bill, insisting it would not bring in any new foreigners into India.