Row erupts after copies of Assamese newspaper burnt; opposition points finger at BJP

The burning of several bundles of the Assamese daily Asomiya Pratidin in Sivasagar district on March 25 has sparked a major political controversy in poll-bound Assam, with opposition parties accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which in turn condemned the incident and demanded action against those responsible.

According to reports, bundles of Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s (March 24 and March 25) Dibrugarh editions of the newspaper were set on fire by unidentified persons near the Joysagar area in Sivasagar early in the morning. The incident has also drawn strong condemnation from journalists’ bodies, who termed it an attack on press freedom.

Reacting to the development, Pratidin Media Network Director Rishi Baruah said that while printed pages can be burnt, the truth they carry cannot be erased. In a post on X, he asserted that stories live on in people’s minds, conversations, and collective memory despite attempts to silence them.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, when asked about the incident on the sidelines of an election campaign, said he was not aware of it as he was occupied with poll-related activities.

Meanwhile, local MLA Akhil Gogoi, who is seeking re-election from the constituency, alleged that BJP workers were involved in the act. He claimed that party workers had witnessed individuals, including some allegedly linked to the BJP, burning the newspapers and had video evidence of the incident. He demanded immediate arrests of those involved.

The political contest in the Sivasagar constituency has also intensified, with both the BJP and its ally Asom Gana Parishad fielding candidates, leading to what is being described as a “friendly contest,” while Akhil Gogoi remains a key contender.

At the national level, Jitendra Singh, general secretary of the Indian National Congress, termed the incident a “dangerous crackdown on freedom of expression,” alleging it reflects intolerance towards criticism. He called for an independent and transparent investigation and urged authorities, including the Assam Police and the Election Commission, to act decisively.

State Congress president Gaurav Gogoi also condemned the incident, calling it an attack on the fourth pillar of democracy. He warned that targeting one media house today could set a precedent for further attacks and stressed the need for collective resistance against such actions.

The incident has intensified the political atmosphere in Assam ahead of the elections, with both sides trading allegations over accountability and the protection of democratic institutions.