RTI activist arrested in Assam ahead of Shah's visit
Guwahati, May 20: Ahead of the BJP national President Amit Shah's visit to Assam, RTI activist and farmers' body leader Akhil Gogoi was arrested on Sunday morning for protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Shah is scheduled to arrive in Assam capital on Sunday to address leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) from all the northeastern states.
Gogoi, who leads Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), had on Saturday urged the people of Assam to protest against the visit of Shah by displaying black flags "to send a strong message to the BJP President" over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Police arrested Gogoi when he was protesting near Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, where the NEDA meeting is scheduled.
"We were peacefully protesting here... However, the BJP government has arrested me in the most undemocratic manner," Gogoi told reporters before being taken away.
"I once again appeal to the people to unite against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and protest against the visit of Shah by showing black flags to him," Gogoi added.
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Bhambri-Goransson's dream run at Indian Wells ends in semifinals
Indian Wells (USA) (PTI): Indian doubles ace Yuki Bhambri and his Swedish partner Andre Goransson's impressive campaign came to an end after losing in the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters in California.
The unseeded pair went down 5-7, 7-6(7), 5-10 to France's Arthur Rinderknech and Monaco's Valentin Vacherot in a closely-fought contest that was decided by a tie-breaker.
Bhambri and Goransson started strongly but were edged out in the opening set.
The Indo-Swedish duo fought back to force a decider after clinching a tight second-set in the tie-breaker.
However, Rinderknech and Vacherot held their nerve in the deciding tie-breaker to seal the victory.
Despite the defeat, the tournament marked a significant milestone for the 33-year-old Indian as it was his maiden semifinal appearance at an ATP Masters 1000 event.
Earlier in the tournament, Bhambri and Goransson had produced a strong performance to reach the last-four, defeating the Austrian-Italian pair of Alexander Erler and Andrea Vavassori 6-3, 7-6(7).
Their run also ended a two-year wait for an Indian presence in the semifinals of a Masters 1000 tournament since Rohan Bopanna won the title at the Miami Open in 2024.
