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'Court verdict hope for others jailed under fake charges': Akhil Gogoi
Hours after his release, Raijor Dal president and MLA from Assam’s Sibsagar Akhil Gogoi spoke to Hindustan Times on the court’s verdict and his determination to resume the agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act
Hours after his release, Raijor Dal president and MLA from Assam’s Sibsagar Akhil Gogoi spoke to Hindustan Times on the court’s verdict and his determination to resume the agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
What is your reaction to the court verdict?
This is a historic verdict not just for me but for the Indian judiciary. For the past few years, it appeared that the executive was trying to influence the judiciary and control it. Today’s verdict shows that the judiciary is still independent and can take decisions judiciously without getting influenced by the government in power. The verdict also showed that agencies like the NIA and laws like UAPA are used by government to target those who are against the policies of those in power. The verdict, I hope, will pave the way for release of other activists who have been jailed under trumped up charges.
Also Read: Akhil Gogoi released from detention in connection with anti-CAA protests
It’s been one-and-half years since your arrest, were you expecting the verdict or to get released soon?
There is a big conspiracy against me. Even today, the government tried to connect me to a 2013 case but the court rejected it as the verdict was already decided. Since I’ve been able to walk out of detention after so many months, I feel encouraged and happy. During this period of my detention, the government dismantled the anti-CAA protests, won the assembly elections this year and also implemented projects like toll gates on highways, which I was opposing. My detention also broke everyone in my family, including my son, my wife and my ailing mother.
You got infected with Covid-19 during your detention and also had several other health issues. Did you feel disheartened or scared during the period under arrest?
I spent several months in jail and the rest of the time in Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) where I was under treatment. Getting infected with Covid-19 in jail was a very painful episode in my life as I lost touch with others. While in hospital, I found that there were several cracks in my bones and I suffered from terrible chest pain. I was kept inside one room all the time and not allowed to come out. It was an unbearable mental torture for me. I am happy to have overcome those difficult days and be released.
Will the anti-CAA protests in Assam resume after your release?
The protests will definitely start and this time, the agitation will not just be on the streets, it will also reverberate inside the state assembly.
Your victory from Sibsagar during the assembly polls while still being under detention is the first such instance in Assam. Did you expect to win?
My win was a historic event in Assam’s political landscape. I never expected that voters would support a person who is behind bars and make him victorious. I am overwhelmed at the confidence expressed by the people on me from my constituency. Therefore, to express my gratitude, I will visit them on Friday.
