Citing legal precedent, the Assam Police deemed the proposed closure of national highways and railway tracks as part of the protest program.....
Digital desk: The Assam Police issued a legal notice to Lurinjyoti Gogoi, the president of Assam Jatiya Parishad and general secretary of Oikya Manch, at midnight. The notice was sent from the Guwahati Police Commissioner's office to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, as Lurin Gogoi addressed an upcoming protest scheduled by the United Opposition Forum against the imposition of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Citing legal precedent, the Assam Police deemed the proposed closure of national highways and railway tracks as part of the protest program as "illegal and unconstitutional" based on Supreme Court verdicts. The notice explicitly ordered the withdrawal of the protest agenda, invoking judgments from the Kerala and Guwahati High Courts to support their directive.
Despite the legal notice, the protest remains scheduled, raising concerns over potential clashes between protesters and law enforcement agencies. In such matters, cases under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, will be registered, as indicated in the legal notice.
Lurinjyoti Gogoi, the recipient of the legal notice, has yet to issue a formal response. However, members of the opposition and civil society have condemned the Assam Police's actions, labeling them as an attempt to suppress legitimate protests and curtail freedom of expression.
The ongoing controversy surrounding the CAA has deepened political divisions in Assam, with various groups and organizations voicing their opposition to the contentious legislation. The imposition of the CAA has been a point of contention since its inception, with critics arguing that it discriminates against Muslims and threatens the cultural and demographic fabric of Assam.
