Guwahati: A group of artistes on June 17 carried out a signature campaign in Guwahati to seek justice for two youths who were lynched in an Assam village.
The Sachetan Silpi Samaj plns to conduct the campaign across Assam and then approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding justice for Nilotpal Das and Abhijit Nath who were killed in Karbi Anglong district on June 8.
Speaking to a gathering as part of the campaign at Assam Engineering Institute playground, actor Rajiv Kro said, “After the incident my daughter asked me if someone would attack her in school as we are Karbi. It is pathetic. We all are Assamese and people of various communities were involved in the lynching. It is clear that the miscreants have no religion or community. Karbi people are not like those miscreants. We are not uncivilized.”
Pro-talks Ulfa leader Jiten Dutta said, “Society will reform if we all reform ourselves. We will also keep strict vigil on the administration over the punishment to the miscreants. If they are set free without punishment, we shall not tolerate it.”
The organizers said they would also carry out awareness programs regarding superstition and work to maintain peace and harmony in Assamese society. Moreover, they will also set up a music school in memory of the duo in the Panijuri area where the incident took place.
Veteran artistes of Assam like Sudakshina Sharma, Samar Hazarika, Pulak Banerjee, Loknath Goswami and Baharul Islam have announced that a cultural program would be organized at Lakshidhar Bora Khetra on June 19 against such violence in the state.
“The incident at Dokmoka happened because of superstition and rumors spread among the people. The incident has led to insecurity among the Karbi people. Karbi students and youth have to be protected in Guwahati and other places where they study and work. We appeal to all democratic and peace-loving people to stand united in our effort to forge a cultural movement against the divisive forces,” singer Loknath Goswami said.
The Dr Anamika Ray Memorial Trust, in collaboration with the Regional Science Centre and the department of communication and journalism, Gauhati University, organized a round-table discussion here on Dokmoka Lynching: Role of Media and Community in dispelling Superstition and Distrust.
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