251 sedition cases filed in Assam since BJP came to power in 2016

Assam government has registered a total of 251 sedition cases since the BJP-led alliance came to power in the state in 2016, the Assembly was informed on Monday.

In a written reply, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said 251 sedition cases were filed against various individuals and banned organisations since May 26, 2016 when the present coalition government took charge.

Replying to the query by Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress, Patowary said sedition cases have been filed against militant groups such as ULFA(I), NDFB (S), NDFB(B), KLO, NSLA, NSLA(AT), UPLFS, DHD, DHNA, NSCN(IM), ZUF and ATF among others.

Such cases were also registered against several individuals, Patowary said on behalf of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who also holds the Home portfolio.

Two sedition cases were slapped on RTI activist-cum- peasant leader Akihil Gogoi in Dibrugarh district and Guwahati city.

Along with Gogoi, sedition cases were registered last month against eminent intellectual and Sahitya Akademi awardee Hiren Gohain and journalist Manjit Mahanta for their comments on the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims who fled religious persecution from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and entered India before December 31, 2014.