Raijor Dal, an Assam political party formed by about 70 organisations three months ago, has named jailed peasants rights activist Akhil Gogoi as its first president.
The announcement came during the three-day conference of newly flouted party that concluded in eastern Assam’s Moranhat on Saturday.
“The government is keeping Akhil Gogoi in jail because the BJP leaders are afraid to face him in the electoral battlefield,” said the Dal’s working president Bhasco de Saikia.
Gogoi’s anointment as Raijor Dal president followed the rejection of his bail plea by the Gauhati High Court on January 7.
Gogoi, founder of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), was arrested in December 2019 for leading a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act outside the Jorhat deputy commissioner’s office. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that Gogoi has been booked for “waging a war against the nation”, conspiracy and rioting.
Renowned author and activist Doctor Hiren Gogoi has been appointed as the chief advisor of the party.
Bhasco D Saikia, Kabindra Chetia Phukan, and Jitul Deka have been inducted as the working presidents of the party.
The general secretaries include Hussain Mohammad Shahjahan, Rubul Das, Giri Shankar Goswami, Ankur Saikia, Alok Nath, Lohit Gogoi, Dibas Phukon and Jahiruddin Laskar.
