Gogoi dares Centre to slap sedition charge against him

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has dared the BJP-led Central government to file sedition charge against him as he agrees with some of the statements made by Jawaharlal Nehru Students’ Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar.

Interacting with mediapersons here on Monday, Gogoi said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi supported Kanhaiya Kumar’s statements on freedom and sedition charge was slapped against him. 

“I too agree with some of the statements made by Kanhaiya Kumar and they (BJP) should slap sedition charge against me also,” he said.

“Kanhaiya Kumar has rightfully pointed out that they want freedom guaranteed under the Constitution. There can be different opinions and ideologies in democracy, and the BJP and the RSS have attacked the Constitution by restricting freedom of speech and expression, which is tantamount to curtailment of fundamental rights,” said Gogoi. “There have been lots of protests against our government in Assam also. There have been organisations who have openly criticised us and shouted slogans against us. However, we have not brought sedition charge against them. We took action against those only who indulged in violence,” Gogoi said.

“I have been into politics for a long time. I was also a students leader and we too shouted slogans against the then Congress government. However, I have not seen such a government since the 1950s,” Gogoi said, adding he had not seen the kind of confrontation and hatred in the society which is present now. “When AB Vajpayee government was there at the Centre, then also there were divisions but it has gone beyond limit now. The Hindus and Muslims are divided now,” Gogoi said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister claimed that the people of the state have realised that Prime Minister Modi made tall promises to them and failed to deliver on what he had promised. “Modi knows how to make tall promises but people have realised that these are hollow and the Prime Minister has failed to deliver what he had promised,” Gogoi told reporters here.

“Modi has exploited the sentiments of the people who were taken in by his promises during the last Parliamentary polls and had voted for him. They have now realised that it was all false and people’s response to recent Congress meetings have been very positive,” he said.