FIR against former VC of Assam University

An FIR has been registered here against former vice chancellor of Assam University at Silchar, Tapodhir Bhattacharjee for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups and communities, a police officer said today.

The FIR was filed against Bhattacharjee at Dispur Police Station in Guwahati yesterday and it has been registered under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, said police station Officer-in-Charge Himangshu Das.

The case was registered on an FIR filed by social activist Manash Chaliha accusing Bhattacharjee of making alleged objectionable comments in his article on the ongoing updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) published in a newspaper on July 3.

The FIR alleged that the contents of the article can create communal disharmony.

Bhattacharjee told the media that as an Indian citizen in a democratic country he has the right to freedom of speech and expression as granted by the Constitution.

He said as an individual he has his own way of thinking by observing the goings on in society.

"As I am a teacher I cannot lie with a pen in my hand. I might not agree with someone elses perspective on a particular subject. Likewise, it is not mandatory for everyone to agree with me," he added.