"If Journalists Can’t Ask Questions, Who Will?" Protests Erupt in Guwahati Over Dilwar Hussain's Arrest

Tensions flared outside Guwahati Press Club in the city as journalists staged a protest against the arrest of fellow journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar. The situation furhter intensified after a confrontation ensued between the police and protestors.

Senior journalist Prashanta Rajguru, speaking to a reporter, stated, "Journalists are protesting peacefully, and they have the right to do so. The arrested journalist was merely collecting news when he was called in and later booked under a false case. He only asked a question. If journalists are denied the right to ask questions in this country, then who will? If no one can question, then who will hold the authorities accountable? It is the duty of journalists to stand up for their own.”

Among those present at the protest site was renowned intellectual and academician Apurba Baruah, who, despite his frail health, joined the demonstration. Expressing his anger, he remarked, "In this tyrannical system, not just journalists, even intellectuals like us will not be able to survive."

The arrest of Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar has sparked widespread reactions across Assam. He was detained by Panbazar Police on Tuesday for questioning Assam Cooperative Apex Bank’s Managing Director, Dambaru Saikia, regarding corruption allegations. Initially summoned to the police station, Mazumdar was kept in custody from 11 AM to 11 PM without being informed of any charges.

Later, he was booked under IPC sections 351(2)/3(1)(R) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 2015, in case number 110/2025, for allegedly making derogatory remarks against a tribal individual.

Journalists and media organizations across the state have strongly condemned the arrest, terming it a conspiracy to suppress press freedom. The protest at Guwahati Press Club saw both senior and junior journalists coming together in solidarity, demanding Mazumdar’s immediate release and justice for the journalistic fraternity.

As the protest intensifies, journalists have now formed a human chain and are marching towards Panbazar Police Station, where Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar is being held.

Also Read: Guwahati: Journalist Dilwar Hussain's Arrest Stands Unlawful After SC Ruling