Sedition Charges Against Sahitya Akademi Awardee Hiren Gohain, Scribe for Protesting Citizenship Amendment Bill
However, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is yet to write a blog/tweet invoking the Emergency on this matter.
Guwahati: Sedition charges have been brought against Sahitya Akademi awardee Assamese litterateur Dr Hiren Gohain, senior journalist Manjit Mahanta and KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi in Assam on Thursday, police said, as protests continue in the state against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Police suo motu registered a case at the Latasil police station here under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code — including 124(A) that deals with charges of sedition, 120 (B) dealing with criminal conspiracy, Guwahati Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar told reporters here.
“A case has been registered against them. I am investigating what they spoke during a Nagarik Samaj meeting here on January 7,” Kumar said.
The three are part of a civil society group — ‘Nagarik Samaj’ — which is protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had referred to Rahul Gandhi as “The Grandson of the Emergency dictator” when the latter had called ANI editor Smita Prakash ‘pliable’. However, Jaitley is yet to write a blog or tweet about the sedition charges against Gohain, Mahanta and Gogoi.
(With PTI inputs)