Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi launched a sharp attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP government during his visit to Morigaon District Jail on Monday. Gogoi met with Reetam Singh, a Congress worker whose recent arrest sparked widespread outrage within the party. Gogoi accused the state government of using fear and intimidation to silence political dissent and suppress democratic voices.
Speaking to reporters outside the jail premises, Gogoi said the arrest of Reetam Singh reflected a troubling trend in Assam’s political landscape. He claimed the BJP leadership had turned the state into a climate of fear, where opposition voices were being stifled through targeted actions. According to Gogoi, Singh’s arrest lacked transparency and revealed the desperation of a ruling party threatened by growing resistance.
Gogoi said Singh had been actively engaged in grassroots campaigns and had raised issues related to governance and corruption. He stated that Singh’s outspoken nature and rising popularity in his constituency had made him a target of political vendetta. He added that no evidence presented so far justified such a dramatic arrest, and the state must answer for what he called “arbitrary and politically motivated action.”
Gogoi warned that the BJP’s continued attempts to control public discourse through fear would backfire. He emphasized that Assam’s people were watching closely and would respond democratically at the ballot box. He added that his party would take the matter to the national stage and raise it in Parliament, urging for intervention and accountability.
The Congress MP also accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of personally encouraging a culture of repression. Gogoi claimed the Chief Minister’s governance style was based not on development or dialogue but on coercion and punishment. He argued that the state machinery had turned against the people and was now working as an instrument of political suppression.
Gogoi described the current political atmosphere in Assam as regressive and damaging to democratic values. He pointed out that under BJP rule, arrests of activists, journalists, and opposition members had become routine. He said such actions revealed a fear of criticism and a failure to uphold the constitutional right to dissent.
Reetam Singh’s arrest has already sparked protests in various parts of Assam, particularly among youth organizations and civil society groups. Demonstrators demanded his immediate release and criticized what they called increasing authoritarianism in the state. Gogoi praised these protests, saying that public outrage proved the people’s unwillingness to accept injustice.
He also called upon Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to take cognizance of the matter and direct a fair inquiry. He said the role of the judiciary and constitutional offices becomes even more critical when state governments cross ethical and legal lines. Gogoi stressed that Singh’s rights must be safeguarded and due process must be followed.
In a symbolic move, Gogoi lit a candle outside the Morigaon Jail to signify the need for truth and justice. He said such gestures could ignite larger movements if the ruling government continued to exploit power and intimidate citizens.
The BJP has yet to issue a detailed response to Gogoi’s comments, although some party leaders privately dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated. However, the silence from the state government has only intensified speculation and public concern.
Gogoi concluded by reaffirming the Congress party’s commitment to stand by every victim of political injustice in Assam. He said leaders like Reetam Singh represented hope, and the attempt to jail hope would ultimately strengthen the resolve of the people. He declared that the BJP could arrest individuals, but it could not imprison the spirit of democracy.
As tensions continue to rise in Assam, all eyes remain on the next move by both the government and the opposition. The arrest of Reetam Singh may have stirred more than just controversy—it may have set the tone for a deeper political confrontation in the days ahead.
Gaurav Gogoi also underlined the importance of holding law enforcement accountable when their actions appear to align more with political objectives than public service. He said the use of police force for political gains threatens the foundational principles of democracy. Gogoi argued that arrests like Singh’s create a chilling effect, where ordinary citizens begin to fear voicing dissent, weakening the democratic fabric of the state.
He urged the Assam Police to uphold their constitutional responsibility without bias. He emphasized that political affiliations should never determine the course of justice. Gogoi said that police officials must act with integrity and resist becoming pawns in a political game that undermines the very institutions they serve.
In his statements, Gogoi drew comparisons with other Indian states where, according to him, authoritarian practices had crept in under BJP rule. He pointed to instances in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat where dissenters faced intimidation or arrests. He suggested Assam was now heading down a similar path under Chief Minister Sarma’s leadership.
Gogoi also addressed Congress workers during his visit, urging them to remain resilient in the face of such pressure. He encouraged party members to continue reaching out to the people and building grassroots movements. He said that fear could never sustain governance, and that people would eventually rise against any administration that refused to listen or serve.
Meanwhile, opposition parties in Assam have also started voicing concerns over Singh’s arrest. Leaders from the CPI(M) and Trinamool Congress echoed Gogoi’s sentiments, demanding clarity on the charges and a full judicial inquiry. Civil society groups have launched petitions and are planning statewide protests in the coming days to demand Singh’s release.
Gogoi added that while Singh’s case had brought attention to BJP’s tactics, many such incidents went unnoticed in remote corners of the state. He pledged that the Congress would create a legal task force to document and challenge all cases of political harassment in Assam. He said the time had come to not just react to oppression but actively fight against it with legal and democratic tools.
With the Lok Sabha elections drawing nearer, Gogoi believes the people of Assam will remember these incidents. He said voters must assess whether they want a government that runs on intimidation or one that thrives on dialogue and development. Gogoi reaffirmed that the Congress was ready to take on the challenge and promised to restore faith in democratic institutions if voted to power.
As the controversy continues to build, the arrest of Reetam Singh has become a flashpoint in Assam’s political scene. Whether this sparks a larger wave of resistance or gets absorbed in daily politics remains to be seen. However, one thing is clear—the debate around power, fear, and freedom in Assam has taken a sharp turn, and voices like Gogoi’s are determined to keep it alive.