Guwahati: Raijor Dal chief and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi slammed BJP-led govt for removing a mural of climate and social activist Sonam Wangchuk on Sunday and a mural of singer Zubeen Garg in June. He asked why the govt was “scared of murals, artists and peaceful protests”.The Wangchuk mural, painted on the Basistha flyover, was removed a day after two artists were arrested in connection with its creation. The administration painted over the artwork with white paint.Gogoi also condemned Wangchuk’s “forcible” hospitalisation while on a hunger strike, calling it a violation of fundamental and constitutional rights. He demanded Wangchuk’s immediate release and sought the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.“The manner in which a person on a hunger strike was forcibly hospitalised, violating fundamental and constitutional rights, is deeply concerning. As a representative of the people of Assam and the northeast, I demand that Sonam Wangchuk be released immediately,” Gogoi said.He said the govt’s actions over the Wangchuk and Garg murals were undemocratic. “Zubeen’s mural, which was painted by graffiti artist Marshal Baruah, was removed in June. Now, Sonam Wangchuk’s mural has been removed. Why is this govt so scared of murals or peaceful protests? This is undemocratic,” he added.“The demand for the Union education minister’s dismissal or resignation must be accepted. Wangchuk is fighting for us, for our future, and for future generations, and we must all stand together in this struggle,” he added.Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike demanding Pradhan’s resignation over alleged nationwide examination irregularities, including the NEET paper leak controversy.Separately, Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who participated in protests in New Delhi over the alleged exam paper leaks, said silencing a peaceful protest instead of engaging in dialogue reflected the govt’s intolerance of democratic dissent.“We strongly condemn the police action of forcibly removing Sonam Wangchuk from his hunger strike. Silencing a peaceful protest instead of engaging in dialogue reflects the govt’s intolerance towards democratic dissent,” he posted on X.He added that students deserve a fair, transparent and credible examination system.
