Guwahati: A lower court here has summoned a graffiti artist and a youth leader in connection with a case of purportedly inscribing an objectionable slogan against CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on a large canvas during a protest against tree felling at Guwahati’s Bharalumukh for a flyover project in 2024.The graffiti artist Marshall Baruah and the youth leader Ankuman Bordoloi were arrested on Nov 11, 2024, on charges of criminal intimidation, provocation, and public nuisance, among others.They were granted bail on Nov 21, 2024, with the court stating that “it does not appear that further detention of the accused persons may be necessary for the sake of investigation of the case.”The duo had participated in the protest against the felling of trees for the construction of a flyover at the Bharalumukh area in the city. Around 70 trees were marked by the authorities for felling for the project at Bharalumukh.Before that, hundreds of youths including Marshall and Ankuman had protested against the move of the govt felling of 21 trees along the banks of the historic Dighalipukhuri, a Mahabharata era tank, by the PWD for a flyover project. Singer Zubeen garg had also participated in the protest. Later, bowing to the protest, the govt translocated the trees instead of cutting, which have survived.Marshall came to limelight again on Thursday when the PWD erased a mural of singer Zubeen Garg carrying the slogan ‘Comrades Never Die’, who died in Singapore in September last year, drawn by Marshall on a pillar of a flyover near the state capital complex. Hundreds of Zubeen fans gathered at the location and Marshall redrew the mural.
