Akhil Gogoi open letter to Himanta Sarma raises 'secret killings' row in Sivasagar
Synopsis
Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi has written a pointed open letter to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, dragging the state's unresolved 'secret killings' trauma of the late 1990s and early 2000s back into electoral politics — and directly questioning why BJP gave a ticket to Jayanta Hazarika, whose name he claims surfaced in multiple criminal cases from that era.
Key Takeaways
Akhil Gogoi wrote an open letter to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on 28 April over the Sivasagar by-election.
Gogoi accused Sarma of using the term 'Chitragupta' against him during the campaign — remarks he called politically motivated.
The letter raises the alleged 'secret killings' of the late 1990s and early 2000s in Upper Assam , a period Gogoi says continues to haunt affected families.
Gogoi claims BJP nominee Jayanta Hazarika (popularly known as Kushal Duwari ) was linked to multiple murder allegations during that period, including a killing in Mahmora in 1999 — though no court findings were cited.
Gogoi urged Sarma to reconsider the candidature, calling it a threat to democratic values and public faith in electoral politics.
Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on Tuesday, 28 April wrote a strongly worded open letter to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of misleading the people of the state and questioning the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) decision to field a controversial candidate from the Sivasagar Assembly constituency in the ongoing by-election campaign.
The 'Chitragupta' Remark and Its Context
Gogoi alleged that Sarma had repeatedly used the term
Point of View
Gogoi is making candidate character a ballot issue at a time when the ruling party enjoys a commanding position in the state. The absence of any court findings against Hazarika is a critical caveat that Gogoi's letter does not address, which could blunt its legal credibility even as it carries political weight.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Akhil Gogoi write an open letter to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma?
Akhil Gogoi wrote the open letter on 28 April to accuse CM Himanta Biswa Sarma of misleading the public and to question the BJP's decision to field Jayanta Hazarika, also known as Kushal Duwari, from the Sivasagar Assembly constituency. Gogoi alleged that Hazarika's name had surfaced in criminal cases linked to the alleged 'secret killings' of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
What are the 'secret killings' that Gogoi refers to in his letter?
The 'secret killings' refer to an alleged period of fear, violence, and extrajudicial deaths that reportedly marked Upper Assam in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Gogoi claims these episodes, including the killing of a family in Mahmora in 1999, remain painful memories for local residents and affected families.
Who is Jayanta Hazarika, the BJP candidate in Sivasagar?
Jayanta Hazarika, popularly known as Kushal Duwari, is the BJP nominee for the Sivasagar Assembly constituency. Gogoi's letter alleges that Hazarika's name surfaced in multiple criminal cases during the 'secret killings' era, though the letter does not cite any court findings against him.
What did Gogoi allege about CM Sarma's use of the term 'Chitragupta'?
Gogoi alleged that CM Sarma repeatedly used the term 'Chitragupta' while referring to him during the ongoing election campaign. He described the remarks as politically motivated and said they were aimed at defending the BJP's controversial candidate in Sivasagar.
What did Gogoi demand from CM Himanta Biswa Sarma?
Gogoi urged CM Sarma to reconsider the decision to field Jayanta Hazarika, arguing that fielding a candidate facing such allegations sends a wrong message to society and undermines public faith in democratic politics. He called on the Chief Minister to uphold democratic values in Assam.
