Guwahati, Sept. 15 -- Prominent activist, Raijor Dal Chief and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on Monday demanded the immediate release of two detained leaders from allied organizations, alleging their arrests were arbitrary and aimed at stifling dissent during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the state.

The detentions of Bidyut Saikia, General Secretary of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), and Pintu Gogoi, President of the Central Committee of the Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS), occurred yesterday, reportedly in connection with a "Black Flag Protest" in Golaghat on the eve of Modi's arrival.

This incident unfolds against a backdrop of intensifying demands for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for six indigenous communities,...