Will help free Barshashree if she pledges not to join Ulfa-I, says Assam DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta

GUWAHATI: Assam DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta on Monday said the police will help Barshashree Buragohain, who was arrested on May 18 for writing a poem allegedly calling for rebellion against the nation, come out of jail if she gives an undertaking that she won’t go to Ulfa-I.
“She has already spent two months in jail and she should come out of prison. We will help her in that if she gives an undertaking that she will not go to Ulfa. We have also got positive support in the matter,” he added.
The DGP said she was arrested after detailed contact analysis to find out with whom she talks over the phone following one particular tagline she had used on the social media. “Tagline is not a poem. If somebody writes something in a story or poem, we don’t have any objection. But if somebody writes such a tagline indicating to go against the state, then that will not be taken easily. So, one must be careful while writing such things so that they do not commit any offence,” he added.
Barshasri is a BSc second-semester student of DCB Girls’ College in Jorhat. A resident of Jorhat, Barshasri was picked up from a friend’s house in Golaghat district’s Uriamghat on May 17 for posting an “objectionable poem” on a social media platform. The poem titled ‘Akou Korim Rashtradroh’ (I will rebel against the nation again) allegedly supported the Ulfa-I.
Talking about her arrest, GP Singh, additional DGP (law & order), said, “When someone publicly professes support for a banned organisation and declares intent of waging war against the Indian state, we are legally bound to prosecute that person.”
He added, “We’ve similar instances where people showing such tendencies were counselled in presence of their family members and allowed to go home. Later, they joined Ulfa. In the interest of such individuals, society and proceeding per law, we’ve been arresting people who have shown active inclination to join Ulfa-I and/or expressed desire to join groups that profess to wage war against our nation.”