"You Have Destroyed Me": Akhil Gogoi Says He Scolded Victor Das Over Slang in Live Video

Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi on Wednesday addressed questions surrounding a recent Facebook live video with controversial social media figure Victor Das, saying his intention was to support Das emotionally and not to endorse his language or style. 

He also said he scolded Das strongly for using slangs during their live session, telling him that he had “destroyed” him by doing so in his presence.

Speaking to reporters, Gogoi said Victor Das had suffered deeply following his arrest under the National Security Act (NSA) and felt abandoned despite what he believed were sacrifices made in the name of justice for late singer Zubeen Garg.

“Victor was in jail for a long time for Zubeen da. He has not done anything anti-national that NSA should have been invoked against him,” Gogoi said. “He told me he feels that even after being in jail and doing so much for Zubeen da, the people of Assam have not shown concern for him. He cried in front of me saying nobody came to ask how he was.”

Gogoi said Das contacted him while he was staying at an undisclosed location away from the media glare. “I told him I am hiding from the media at a location. If he wants to come, he can come,” Gogoi said, adding that Das later visited him along with his sister and brother-in-law.

However, Gogoi acknowledged that the tone was wrong during the subsequent Facebook Live session in which both appeared together.

“You know how he is, his language, I have strictly told him not to use such slang," Gogoi said.

“But also at the same time, there are only very few people in the Assamese community who seriously thinks about the community, and one of them is Victor,” he added.

Responding to criticism over the use of slang during the live broadcast, Gogoi said he repeatedly warned Das during the session. “If you see the live video, you will see I have told him again and again not to use such slangs in front of me,” he said.

Gogoi claimed he was unaware that Das would begin a live broadcast and was taken by surprise. “He came just for one day and suddenly started the live video. I did not know about it. I was also surprised,” he said.

Despite expressing discomfort over the language used, Gogoi said he chose to stay during the session to encourage Das mentally. “I feel bad saying this, but he is mentally very weak now. After losing his father, he has become mentally disturbed,” Gogoi said.

“He has disturbed me also by using slangs. I scolded him. I told him, ‘You have destroyed me by using slangs in a live video in my presence.’”

Gogoi added that when Das later accompanied him to Zubeen Kshetra and spoke to the media, he refrained from using any inappropriate language. “He did not utter a single slang word while giving a byte. I am hoping he will become normal soon,” Gogoi said.

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