Assam: Intellectuals appeal to vote against BJP kicks up row

“The BJP has been trying to negate real patriotism with insane patriotism. The nation will gradually be in the grip of darkness if this party continues to remain in power,” it said.

The group led by Gohain also had former college principals Udayaditya Bharali, Dinesh Baishya, noted poets Nilamoni Phukan and Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya, authors Nirupama Bargohain and Anima Guha, cultural activist Loknath Goswami, among others. Shivanath Barman, editor of a newspaper owned by a prominent Congress leader also signed in the appeal.

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Meanwhile, another group of intellectuals led by former Gauhati University vice-chancellor Nirmal Kumar Choudhury and former Assam DGP Nishinath Changkakoti on Sunday questioned the intentions of the group led by Hiren Gohain and described as “anti-democratic” the appeal asking people not to vote for a particular party.

“Asking people not to vote for a particular party is in itself a threat to democracy. Nobody has the right to issue a fatwa to the people on exercising their democratic rights. They are trying to mislead the voters on the eve of polling day,” a statement issued by the other group said. The second group also asked the voters to come out in large numbers to cast their votes without any fear or under any influence.

“Hiren Gohain and other signatories seem to have totally lost it. How on earth could they believe that they have the right to direct the citizens of a democratic nation about whom to vote and not to vote?” asked former Dibrugarh University professor Sheila Bora. “It reflects upon these self-styled intellectuals than anything else,” said educationist Shantikam Hazarika, who incidentally is part of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headed by former BJP leader Prodyut Bora.