Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s observation about the mental health of jailed Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi and the late night detention of leaders supporting the debutant Opposition MLA are “mind games to weaken and demoralise” the regional party floated eight months ago, a party leader has said.

Participating in the debate on the governor’s address in the Assembly on Monday, Sarma had said that Akhil, in jail since December 12, 2019, for his alleged role in inciting violence during the peak of the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, was not in sound mental health and undergoing treatment for psychological issues at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital for the past four months.

“How can a person undergoing treatment for psychological issues be allowed to attend the Assembly...?” Sarma had asked in response to a plea by Congress legislator Bharat Chandra Narah to allow Akhil to attend the session.

Akhil had won the Sivasagar Assembly seat contesting from jail against a formidable BJP candidate.

Monday also saw police in a late night raid pick up Raijor Dal secretary Padmakanta Das, working president of Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti, Manas Konwar, Assam Chatra Yuba Sanmilani president Jintu Mech and Bir Lachit Sena’s Sivasagar unit general secretary Situ Baruah from different places “fearing” protest against Sarma’s statement in the Assembly. They were, however, released on Tuesday morning.

Both developments attracted widespread attention and criticism with many asking whether it was right on the part of Sarma to make public the health condition of an individual.

Senior Raijor Dal leader Chinmoy Bora told The Telegraph it was “unbecoming and unethical” on the part of Sarma to disclose someone’s health condition in the Assembly.

“Monday’s developments suggest the government is indulging in mind games to weaken and demoralise us. By claiming Akhil Gogoi is mentally unsound, they are trying to keep him away from the Assembly and public life. They know he is the one who can oppose the government with facts and conviction,” Bora said.

He added: “The detention of our leaders is a message that the government’s attitude towards us will not change. Fearing there would be a protest against the chief minister, our leaders were picked up. This shows how much they fear Akhil.”

An unperturbed Raijor Dal will be moving Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary seeking details of Monday’s proceedings along with TV footage and then decide on their plan of action.

Sarma on Tuesday asserted his statement on Akhil was based on facts and that everyone has a right to protest democratically. Police have been told not to interfere during democratic protests, he said.

Terming Sarma’s statement on the mental health of an Opposition leader not present in the House as “extremely unparliamentary, inappropriate, insensitive, unbecoming”, PCC president Ripun Bora said: “Whether Sri (Akhil) Gogoi should be in jail or in hospital or whether he is fit enough to be present in the Assembly is to be decided by the court as the matter is
sub judice.”