On May 11, Tuesday, jailed anti-CAA activist Akhil Gogoi, who is the first Assamese to win an election from behind the bars, received permission from a special NIA court to take oath as legislator of Assam Assembly. In the recently held Assembly Polls, Gogoi had defeated BJP’s Surabhi Rajkonwari by a convincig 11,875 votes in Sibsagar seat.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested the Raijor Dal chief in December 2019 for his alleged role in violent protests against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act across the state. Gogoi was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in 2020 for treating COVID-19 and he remains there for other ailments.
Gogoi’s oath
Akhil is the first Assamese to win an election from behind the bars. The date for the oath-taking ceremony has not been announced yet. Special NIA Judge Pranjal Das hearing a petition by Gogoi, the Raijor Dal chief, granted him the permission for taking oath as a legislator at the Assam Assembly complex.
“This is not a bail. Gogoi has been granted permission only to attend the oath taking ceremony. He has to return to judicial custody again,” said Gogoi’s advocate Santanu Borthakur.
What is Akhil Gogoi known for?
Akhil is the founder of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and for long he has been agitating for the rights of peasants in Assam. He has been involved in land rights issues, evictions, big dam projects, among others, and has been arrested on several occasions over the years, both during the current BJP regime as well as during the Congress rule.
During the CAA protests, Gogoi emerged as one of the key faces while protesting against the law. The KMSS announced it was forming the political party Raijor Dol, with Gogoi as the president.
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