'Aasu leaders guiding anti-CAA movement as per govt's wishes'

GUWAHATI: Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey and social activist Medha Patkar accused the All Assam Student's Union (Aasu) of having an understanding with the the BJP-led state government and "guiding the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) movement as per their wishes".
"Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and its 70 allied organizations have been heading the most powerful front against the new citizenship law. We suspect that by putting Akhil behind the bars, the government wants to bring Aasu to the forefront and guide the anti-CAA movement as per its wish," Pandey said.
After meeting KMSS adviser Akhil Gogoi, who has been in jail since December for his alleged involvement in violence during anti-CAA protests, Pandey said, "I know Akhil as an RTI activist. He has fought for the justice of the downtrodden by revealing corruption in the government. Do Maoists file RTI application to reveal corruption? For the BJP, KMSS has emerged as a big political threat and that's why he has been put behind the bars."
Medha Patkar, slamming the government for allegedly framing false charges against Gogoi asked, "Why should he booked by the NIA? Is Assam police so weak and they cannot investigate the charges against him?" She added, "At least they (government) should respect the Assam Accord which the CAA blatantly violates. This is why the people of Assam are fuming."