“CM Should Resign as Home Minister”: Akhil Gogoi After Karbi Anglong Unrest

Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi on Tuesday reacted sharply to the recent violence and unrest in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, holding the BJP-led state government, the Home Ministry and the Assam Police responsible for the escalation of the situation.

Addressing a press conference, Gogoi urged the people of Karbi Anglong to maintain peace and refrain from breaking the law, while strongly criticising the handling of the situation by the authorities.

He said that the unrest in Karbi Anglong had exposed the “complete failure” of the Assam Police and the Home Department in assessing and managing the ground reality.

Gogoi said that around midnight on Monday, he had submitted a memorandum to the Assam Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary, and DGP Harmeet Singh, warning that the situation in Karbi Anglong was likely to escalate rapidly. He alleged that despite prior information and clear warning signs, the administration failed to take preventive measures.

“The situation in Karbi Anglong has shown that the Assam Police has no control on the ground. The Home Ministry has failed to assess the seriousness of the situation even after knowing everything,” Gogoi said.

He alleged that the protests in the area had been peaceful and democratic, and that police action late at night only worsened the situation.

According to him, protesters had been staging demonstrations for the last 12 to 14 days, but the CEM Tuliram did not visit the site or engage with the protesters. “Instead of dialogue, the Assam Police detained the protesters, which led to further anger and unrest,” he stated.

Gogoi also claimed that protestors had already flagged on social media that protesters might march towards the residence of Tuliram, yet no adequate security arrangements were made.

“The police failed on two fronts, suppressing innocent protesters on one hand and failing to protect a government leader on the other. These failures is what led to the escalation,” he said.

Gogoi further alleged that whenever people protest against the BJP government, they are either harassed or detained instead of being heard. “We have seen this pattern repeatedly,” he said.

Holding the BJP government squarely responsible, Gogoi said the incident in Karbi Anglong was “entirely the failure of the BJP-led Home Ministry and the Assam Police.” He also condemned the government for its inability to protect people and prevent damage to property.

In the memorandum, Gogoi said his party had clearly warned that the situation could spiral out of control and had urged the government to immediately deploy rapid response forces, control the situation, and initiate talks with the protesters to address their demands at the earliest.

Questioning the Chief Minister’s repeated claims of protecting the ‘Khilonjia’ (indigenous) community, Gogoi asked why the government had failed to sit across the table with the protesters. He also demanded compensation for those who allegedly lost property and belongings during the unrest.

“We have seen such conflicts in the past in Assam, including in the BTC areas. It is unfortunate that under Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government, such situations are resurfacing,” Gogoi said.

The Raijor Dal leader further demanded that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma resign from the post of Home Minister.

Also Read: The Karbi Anglong Mishap: Gopinath Bordoloi, 6th Schedule and the Land Conflict