Guwahati: Acquitted by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court after over 18 months behind the bars, Assam’s activist turned
legislator Akhil Gogoi left the hospital on 1 July without listening to doctor’s advices to reach his constituency in eastern part of the
State. Gogoi, who won the last State legislative assembly polls from Sibasagar seat, got himself discharged on request from the hospital
authority.
Since his arrest in December 2019 under the unlawful activities prevention act, Gogoi was under judicial custody. The 45-year-old RTI
activist turned peasant leader turned anti-CAA (citizenship amendment act) protester formed a new political party (Raijor Dol) ahead of
assembly polls in March-April and won the electoral battle without personally campaigning in the constituency as he was locked in jail
since.
lately he was admitted in Guwahati medical college hospital for various ailments. Soon after hearing the news of his acquittal by the
court in the last pending case in morning hours, exited Gogoi left the hospital. As the social media users start questioning his health
status, the hospital authority clarified to the State home department that Gogoi left the hospital against the advice of doctors.
“The hospital cannot detain any patient if he/she wants to be discharged on request,” said the person in authority while interacting
with local media adding that Gogoi should have stayed for some more days in the hospital. Attending doctors should have evaluated his
condition before taking a decision over his discharge, but Gogoi did not wait, and hence the authority would not take any responsibility
for any consequent health issues. Delighted Gogoi as readied for leaving to Sibasagar commented, “We
should celebrate our independent judiciary. The BJP led government wants to rule the country (also Assam) under an undeclared emergency.
But the judiciary has shown the most deserved ray of hope.” He reiterated his stand that the UAPA is a draconian law and it should be
scrapped.
Maintaining his strong oppositions to CAA (brought by BJP led Union government in New Delhi), Gogoi claimed that it is no way acceptable
to the people of Assam. He assured that the people’s grievances will be carried to the State assembly by him with due honesty. He however
did not forget to criticize many Assam based leaders who later retreated from the anti-CAA movement.
Earlier, various individuals and organizations expressed happiness over his release pointing out that the judgement would re-affirm
public faith in the judiciary. Assam’s senior advocate Upamanyu Hazarika asserted that the discharge of Gogoi and his associates
namely Dharjya Konwar, Manas Konwar and Bittu Sonowal proves that they did not commit any terrorist act threatening the unity, integrity and
sovereignty of India.
Hazarika, who leads anti-influx body Prabajan Virodhi Manch, also added that there were clear findings in the judgement that Gogoi in
his speeches could not be imputed with any incitement to violence and there was no material to link him with vandalism and damage to
property that took place during the CAA agitation. The court observed that protests in a democracy can take the form of bandhs and
blockages, and if not accompanied by violence would not be a terrorist act.
‘Gogoi left hospital against medical advice’
