DH Exclusive | Opposing undemocratic policies not anti-national, says Akhil Gogoi

There was constant advice from the investigating officer of my case to join RSS/BJP, said Gogoi

Anti-CAA leader-turned Assam MLA, Akhil Gogoi has become more vocal against the use of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against those criticising the government or its policies. A special NIA court in Guwahati on July 1 cleared Gogoi and three of his associates from all charges including sedition and links with Maoists.

Gogoi, who came out of judicial custody after more than 18 months, told DH's Sumir Karmakar from his constituency Sivasagar that there must be a united fight across the country against such use of the “draconian” law.

You call your agitation peaceful and democratic. But the NIA and Assam police booked you under UAPA, for sedition and charged you with having links with the Maoists?

My arrest by the NIA under UAPA will remain a black chapter in Indian democracy. Everyone knows how angry large sections of people in Assam were in December 2019 against the CAA. Assam led the country in opposing an undemocratic, communal and unconstitutional law. There were spontaneous protests. As a leader of a mass organisation called Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, I took an active part in opposing the CAA and criticising the BJP-led government. My speeches were about peaceful, democratic movements against the CAA. The BJP government both in Assam and at the Center realised that these powerful popular movements could be a roadblock for the implementation of the CAA. They also knew that winning the 2021 Assembly elections would also not be easy. The best thing for them was to arrest me under a draconian black law and brand me as a Maoist.

BJP is now saying that the people of Assam voted in favour of the CAA by electing them to power again.

Winning an election in absence of a united opposition cannot be an approval for the CAA. Congress aligning with another communal party AIUDF was responsible for BJP’s victory. Let us take a plebiscite on this or a popular survey. I think my election as an MLA was a plebiscite against the CAA. The popular protests disappeared because of the inability of a section of leaders to foresee BJP’s game plan. They also failed to stand by the people after my arrest in December 2019.

Now the BJP government is preparing to implement the CAA practically soon. Will you again try to stop the process?

Of course, we will try to resist the implementation of the CAA in Assam and we will continue our agitation against it. Because the CAA will destroy Assamese identity, culture and language by giving citizenship to the post-1971 Hindu Bangladeshis. Several petitions are pending in the Supreme Court. We will reach out to all opposition parties both within and outside Assam in this regard. If necessary, we will again go for a democratic people’s movement against CAA.

Like you, many protesters in other parts of India are in jail on charges of committing Maoist acts. What is your message to them?

There must be a united opposition across India against the draconian UAPA. Opposition parties must promise to do away with misuse of this draconian law. Opposing the government’s anti-people policies cannot be anti-national and an act of Maoists. We must also strengthen legal and political debate across India against the misuse of this Act. I hope my acquittal will be an inspiration in this regard.

In your letter from jail, you alleged that NIA had tortured you and asked you to join BJP and RSS. Give us a little detail about what exactly happened?

There was constant mental harassment and physical threat during the early days. They handcuffed me. There was constant advice from the investigating officer of my case to join RSS/BJP. But as I did not agree to his line, they ensured that I continue to remain in jail for a long time. In my life, I have been in police custody many times before but this was the first time that there was so much pressure on me to join a political party. NIA was so much politically motivated by the executive which baffled me.

Why did you decide to contest elections?

Our party, Raijor Dal was born during this political crisis in Assam. Unlike BJP or Congress, we do not have resources and machinery. But we know people are angry and they are in search of a regional political party that will defend the rights of the people of Assam irrespective of their religion, language, caste, ethnic backgrounds. Assam wants its regional pride to be safeguarded. Assam wants radical economic transformation. The people of Assam wants to get rid of false economic promises and communal and fascist policies of the BJP. BJP has forced Assam to become one of the worst-performing states of India. Please see NITI Aayog’s 2021 SDG Report. BJP is now in a full-scale campaign to introduce all kinds of communal politics. Congress is living in a world of dreams. It cannot be a protector of Assam. Our party will defend the rights of Assam and the federal structure of India. We will reach out to opposition parties across India. India cannot allow the Modi government to return in 2024. We need to see the writings on the wall.

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