Guwahati Trader Files FIR After Threats to Halt Diwali Cracker Sales

A Guwahati retailer has filed a formal complaint against members of the organisation Sodou Assam Ekokritiya Yuba Parishad for allegedly threatening to obstruct the lawful sale of crackers during Diwali and Kali Puja.

The complainant, Zeetendra Saloi, who has run a licensed cracker business for years, said that on October 10, he was verbally threatened by Ashish Bora, Bidyut Kalita, and Jayanta Gogoi. According to Saloi, the group warned that they would throw his entire stock into the Brahmaputra River and forcibly halt sales, citing the recent death of singer Zubeen Garg as the reason. Threats were reportedly also made through social media.

Saloi claimed that these actions caused mental distress and put the livelihoods of his workers at risk. He urged the Bharalumukh Police to register a case under sections of the Indian Penal Code related to criminal intimidation, threats, and unlawful obstruction of trade, and called for immediate preventive action against both named and unidentified members of the organisation.

In response to rising tension, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued a heartfelt appeal, asking the public to support the state’s traditional cracker industry, particularly the artisans of Barpeta. Speaking in a Facebook live session, he highlighted that many families rely on Diwali sales to sustain their livelihood throughout the year.

“These artisans craft crackers with dedication and dreams, keeping this traditional business alive for generations,” Sarma said. He expressed concern that calls for a ban this year could damage Assam’s cultural and economic fabric. “Had Zubeen Garg been alive, he would have urged us not to let the Barpeta atasbazi udyog die,” the Chief Minister added.

Sarma also emphasized that festivals like Diwali are an integral part of Assam’s cultural identity. “If we stop celebrating Diwali, can we celebrate Christmas, New Year, or Eid as well? Our culture must continue despite hardships,” he said, adding that he personally plans to buy crackers from Barpeta artisans this year in memory of Zubeen Garg.

ALSO READ: Could Zubeen Garg’s Dream of Supporting the Poor End With a Ban on Crackers?