Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi has been fighting against sedition law and UAPA charges since 2017. In recent years, Assam has reported up to 54 cases of sedition due to protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Many of these cases were brought against individuals for their social media posts that were seen as pro-Pakistan or anti-India. While those who violated sedition laws and those who were affiliated with rebel organizations such as the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) have received attention, cases involving young people accused of sedition for their social media posts went unnoticed.
Akhil Gogoi has been charged with numerous sedition-related offences, primarily due to his protests against the CAA in 2019. He was arrested during the anti-CAA protests in December 2019 and was jailed for a long time. Despite being in prison, he contested and won the 2021 Assembly election as an independent candidate.
According to Gogoi, Assam is the state where sedition laws are employed the most frequently, both statistically and qualitatively. He believes that sedition accusations are brought against everyone who disagrees with the BJP and that communalism is at play in this situation.
While sedition accusations were made against individuals under the preceding 15-year Congress administration as well, the types of claims made in the charges are different. Past sedition charges were linked to terrorism and were often brought against individuals affiliated with rebel organizations such as the ULFA.
Akhil Gogoi was also charged with the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), but he is now out on bail. Earlier this year, a special court in Assam discharged him of UAPA charges, but the Gauhati High Court overturned the special court’s judgment, and the case against the legislator has been continued. Gogoi moved to the Supreme Court to quash the High Court judgment, but the top court of the country upheld the High Court order but granted bail to Gogoi in April this year.
Gogoi said, I am ready to go to jail again. As I am vocal towards the large-scale wrongdoings of the BJP government, they will try everything to put me behind bars. Despite the challenges he has faced, Gogoi remains committed to his struggle and continues to fight against sedition laws and UAPA charges.
In conclusion, sedition accusations have frequently been made against individuals in Assam, particularly under the BJP government. While some cases have received public attention, many young people accused of sedition for their social media posts have gone unnoticed. Akhil Gogoi is one of the many individuals fighting against sedition laws and UAPA charges. Despite the challenges he faces, he remains committed to his struggle.
