Tai-Ahom Body Demands Govt to Release Political Prisoner Akhil Gogoi

Guwahati, March 3, 2020:

Several hundred belonging to the Tai-Ahom community on Tuesday came out in droves in Dibrugarh's Moran to demand ST status to the community, as well as the release of Akhil Gogoi, one of Assam's most prominent Ahoms who has been arrested and kept in a Guwahati jail.

"Today, we want to warn the Government that they are not paying importance to the 6 agitating communities who , 60 lakh Ahoms have been insulted by them. If they do not give us the ST status, we will answer them in the 2021 elections", a Tai-Ahom protester told the media.

"We will never accept the CAA. Many Bangladeshis have already come here. Be it from Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Bangladesh, we will never accept it", the Tai Ahom leader also said.

Another promised that the CAA would be defeated at all costs, adding that if these demands are not met by the Government, the Ahom community will give a "strong answer" to the BJP. "Moreover, we want the Government to release Akhil Gogoi, Dhaijya Konwar, and all other political leaders and release them unconditionally. The power-drunk have imprisoned and we urge them to release the political prisoners unconditionally", he said.

The Tai-Ahoms staged a 2-hour long hunger strike, and raised slogans with the demand of fulfillment of their appeals to the Government.

It may be mentioned here that the demand for Gogoi's release has come at a time when the peasant leader has reportedly been stricken with illness in his Central Jail cell in Guwahati. Gogoi is reportedly so sick that he is unable to receive visitors.

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