Akhil Gogoi apologises for ‘kaafir’ comment, says remark not 'well-thought-out'

Guwahati, April 27: Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi has issued a public apology for making a statement with communal undertones during an election rally in Lakhimpur.

In a video message released on the intervening night of Sunday, Gogoi admitted the essence of his controversial statement and sought forgiveness from the people of Assam.

"During Panchayat election rallies in Lakhimpur, I said that the Muslims who vote for the BJP are kaafirs, that they should go to hell, and that Allah will not forgive them. Though these may not have been my exact words, they capture the spirit of what I said. I seek forgiveness from the people of Assam for making such a statement," he said.

Gogoi also revealed that his colleagues and party members had criticised him sharply for his remarks.

"This statement was wrong. My party members and colleagues pointed it out and criticised me, saying that a rational and progressive individual like me should not have made such a statement with communal undertones," he added.

The Raijor Dal leader said that the remark was sudden and not well thought-out, owing to his hectic schedule before Panchayat polls.

"In the past few days, I have been attending 20-25 rallies daily. The comment at Lakhimpur was made suddenly, without proper thought. I once again seek forgiveness through this video message," Gogoi said, assuring that such statements would not be repeated in the future.

However, trouble seems to be compounding for the Sivasagar MLA ahead of the Panchayat polls.

On Friday, the Assam unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lodged a complaint at Dispur Police Station against Gogoi for his alleged remarks linking the recent terrorist attack in Kashmir to the abrogation of Article 370.

"He suggested that the recent attack in Kashmir was a consequence of the abrogation of Article 370. What does this imply? Is the Chief Minister supporting him in making such statements? There must be some political connection," questioned the AAP leaders.

The AAP also referred to a viral social media post claiming that Gogoi had urged China to stop the flow of Brahmaputra waters if India suspends the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, terming it "a matter of grave concern" if true.

Meanwhile, Raijor Dal has already lodged a complaint at Latasil Police Station regarding a “fake” social media post falsely attributed to Gogoi, clarifying that the party had no role in the alleged remarks about China.