‘Why is BJP so scared of youth?’: Gaurav Gogoi condemns detention of Assamese youth, activists in Guwahati

Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on September 27 condemned the reported detention of young people, influencers and activists in Guwahati, following the detention of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convener Ashutosh Ranka and several party volunteers.

Taking to X on Sunday, Gogoi said the detentions were “completely unacceptable and illegal” and questioned why the BJP was allegedly “scared” of the youth.

“I condemn the detaining of many Assamese young people, influencers and activists in Guwahati. This is completely unacceptable and illegal,” Gogoi wrote.

He further alleged that the BJP's concerns were linked to young people rejecting what he described as the party's “Hindu-Muslim polarisation”.

“Why is the BJP so scared of the youth? Is it because the youth have rejected the Hindu-Muslim polarization of the BJP?” he said.

Gogoi also alleged that the BJP was attempting to “steal their vote and block their voice”, and added, “I stand with the youth of Assam.”

His remarks came after Ranka and several CJP members and volunteers were detained by Assam Police in Guwahati on Sunday, according to the organisation. Ranka and others were reportedly on their way to a scheduled volunteers’ meeting when they were detained.

The CJP claimed that around 50 people had been detained. Those reportedly detained included Ranka, Ankit Bhardwaj, Prem Aakash and other members of the organisation.

The organisation also alleged that the road leading to the meeting venue was barricaded from both sides and that a heavy police presence had been deployed in the area. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke further claimed that lawyers who reached the location were not being allowed to meet the detainees.

The CJP had scheduled a press conference at 12.45 pm on Sunday at Chaudhary Tilla, opposite the Assam Secretariat, to address the reported detentions and the disruption of its volunteers’ meeting.