Congress worker 'killed in tear gas smoke' during protest in Assam
Guwahati, Dec 18: A Congress worker was killed and several others were injured in tear gas shell smoke during a protest on Wednesday against a range of issues, including unrest in Manipur and bribery charges against Adani Group, the party claimed.
A senior police officer, however, said the exact reason for the death will be known after the post-mortem examination report comes, and denied that anyone was injured in the incident.
Police and Congress supporters were engaged in a scuffle, in which Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora fell on the ground, and were detained. They were released later.
Congress Legal Cell member Advocate Mridul Islam (45) felt suffocated when a tear gas cell fell near him, party spokesperson Bedabrat Bora claimed.
"He was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital and then to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). He was declared dead there," he added.
After visiting the GMCH, Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said, "The tear gas shells were not fired. Police only rolled three shells on the road so that smoke would come out and people would disperse."
Several media persons, including senior journalist Amarendra Deka and his camera person, were injured and were being treated at the GMCH, the Congress spokesperson said.
"Around 10 people were injured and they are receiving treatment at GMCH. In my political career, I have never seen such a huge and ruthless police presence to stop a democratic protest, which was going to submit a memorandum only," he added.
According to visuals on local media channels, the Congress chief and a few of the protesters were apparently pushed over the barricades by the police while they were trying to cross over.
The police commissioner said the Congress did not even seek permission for the 'Raj Bhavan gherao' protest, in which over 1,000 people took part.
"We had deployed an adequate number of police personnel and erected three barricades. The protestors broke two barricades and went to the third one. There was no lathi-charge or force used. Only we rolled the tear gas shells," Barah said.
He claimed that the magisterial inquest conducted on the deceased found no external injury and "the exact reason will be known only after the post-mortem examination report comes".
The Congress on Tuesday had formally intimated the Guwahati Police Commissioner about the protest programme and it was duly received by his office. A copy of the signed receipt is available with PTI.
The opposition party took out the protest march as part of a nation-wide programme. They marched against ethnic clashes in Manipur, bribery charges against the business conglomerate Adani Group and installation of 'smart meters' for electricity connections in Assam.
The Congress, meanwhile, filed a complaint at Latasil police station against the death of Islam due to "excessive use of tear gas" and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
Terming it as a "homicidal death amounting to murder", the party sought compensation for the family of the deceased.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Allahabad High Court questions Mohammed Zubair's use of social media over hate speech post
Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court, during a hearing on Tuesday, raised questions about Alt-News co-founder Mohammed Zubair’s decision to post about hate speech on social media instead of filing a complaint or seeking legal intervention. The case pertains to an FIR lodged against Zubair by the Ghaziabad Police, accusing him of promoting enmity among religious groups through a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Zubair’s post highlighted a hate speech made by controversial figure Yati Narsinghanand. A division bench of Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra orally remarked on Zubair’s actions, suggesting that he was trying to create social unrest by sharing the content on social media.
Addressing Zubair’s actions, Justice Varma asked, “If this person (referring to Yati Narsinghanand) is acting funny, then instead of going to the police, will you act more funny? Have you lodged an FIR against him? I will look at your conduct. If you don’t like his (Yati’s) speech or face, you should file an FIR against him.”
The court emphasized that social media should not be used to create social disharmony, with Justice Varma stating, “Your rights end where my nose begins. Whatever he (Yati) says, you cannot go to social media…Who denies that Twitter cannot be used, but you cannot use it to instigate unrest. Glancing at the tweet shows that you are trying to create unrest.”
Zubair, a prominent fact-checker, defended his post, asserting that he was exercising his right to freedom of speech by highlighting Narsinghanand’s conduct and hate speech. Represented by Senior Counsel, Zubair argued that his post was not isolated, as various news outlets and social media users had also addressed the issue.
The Senior Counsel added, “Zubair did not say anything different from others who reported on the matter. His post was merely a reference to the hate speech and not an attempt to create unrest.”
During the hearing, Zubair’s counsel pointed to a 2022 Supreme Court observation, which stated that journalists should not be restricted from expressing themselves on social media. The counsel recalled a statement by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, who, while granting interim bail to Zubair in a similar case, said: “It is like telling a lawyer that you should not argue. How can we tell a journalist that he will not write or utter a word?”
Justice Varma, however, reiterated that social media posts must be cautious and responsible, especially in sensitive matters that could affect societal harmony.
The FIR against Zubair was lodged last month by the Ghaziabad Police following a complaint from an associate of Yati Narsinghanand. The complaint accused Zubair of promoting enmity between religious groups through his social media post.
The matter is now scheduled for its next hearing on Friday, December 20.
