Artists Detained For Akhil Gogoi’s Graffiti by Assam Police.

Protests in Assam for Akhil Gogoi

The Assam Police briefly detained four artists for a graffiti about the anti-citizenship law and peasant right activist Akhil Gogoi who is currently in jail. 

Akhil Gogoi the leader of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) has been put behind the bars since December last year when the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was rampant in the whole country.  Gogoi has been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

On Friday in several parts of Asaam a blanket of graffiti, posters and slogans demanding Gogoi’s release surfaced after the Student wing of KMSS namely Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS) gave a protest call through art on Thursday night. This call led to an incident where a member of the SMSS was detained by the police in Guwahati along with four artists for painting Gogoi’s graffiti on a public wall. 

The Artists of the Anga Art Collective-an art society in Guwahati who were arrested by Assam police were made to erase the graffiti art from the walls after their release.

On Friday in the BJP ruled state, the public art protests swept the streets with slogans, painted and pasted posters and graffiti on  public properties and government  properties without any permissions.The protest art demanded ‘justice’ for Gogoi and his release from the prison as a reaction to the police action.