Assam: Gauhati University student arrested for reciting alleged 'anti-government' poem

On Monday, Dipjyoti Gogoi, student of Gauhati University was arrested for allegedly reciting an “anti-Government” poem on Social Media. A poem named as “Rashtrok Ekhon Mukoli Sithi” (An Open letter to the Nation), originally a poem by Raju Chetia Phukon

According to the Police, his recitation lays out to be called as “anti-National”, or “anti-Government”, which led to an immediate arrest of the Gauhati Univerity Student.

Now as per reports the DIPR has confirm, Assam Police apprehended Dipjyoti Gogoi creating “fake information”. Case has been registered under Crime Branch PS Case no. 11/20 U/S 419/420/34 IPC read with Section 66 C of IT Act. Further investigation to be carried by Assam Police.

The poem by the University student talks about releasing Akhil Gogoi and evokes the state to release him.

Also read: Assam Human Rights takes cognizance of prison negligence raised by Debabrata Saikia amid COVID-19

Akhil Gogoi was arrested on 12th Dec 2019, from Jorhat, sent to NIA custody for 10 days in Delhi, and taken back and lodged in Guwahati Central Jail since 26th Dec. KMSS Secretary Dhaijya Konwar and Bittu Sonowal, President of Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti, a popular democratic student org in Assam, were arrested on 13th Dec and lodged in Guwahati Central Jail. On 7th Jan, both of them were tagged in the same fake UAPA case with Akhil Gogoi and are currently in NIA custody in Kamrup district. Manas Konwar was arrested on 13th Dec, released later and re-arrested from NIA Court, Guwahati, Assam towards the end of January 2020 being slapped with similar charges under UAPA. Earlier, the NIA failed to file a charge sheet within the mandatory 90 days, which warranted Akhil’s release but he was immediately arrested for other cases.

The main question here is, is the arrest of the University student a curb against Freedom of Expression or a necessity to stop 'anti-national' sentiments as raised by the state government?

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