Guwahati/Morigaon: An activist who had decked up as Lord Shiva for a street play on the rising cost of auto-fuels, was arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and later released Sunday after a storm on the social media on the issue. The activist Birinchi Bora drove into the venue of the street play dramatically in a motorcycle with another actor dressed as Goddess Parvati for their play on Saturday which had several Hindutva outfits up in arms demanding their arrest.
Disapproving of the arrest, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said - on the social media platform Twitter - that enacting a street play over current issues is not blasphemous and appropriate instructions have been issued to the district police to release him. Nagaon Superintendent of Police Leena Doley said Bora, was arrested on under bailable sections on two complaints by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal.
"We had arrested him for hurting religious sentiments, showing disrespect towards women, attempting to create disharmony among communities and also under Motor Vehicles Act for not wearing shoes and helmet during the play on the road. "As the sections were bailable, he was released on Sunday morning," she told PTI.
The woman, who played the character of Goddess Parvati, could not be traced thus far, and another person associated with the play, Dulal Bora, has been asked to appear at Nagaon Police Station, Doley said. On Saturday afternoon, raising the issues of price rise as well as unemployment, Bora and his associates performed a street play on the road near Nowgong College Clock Tower Point.
Also read: Assam: Man burnt alive during public hearing in Nagaon's Bor Lalung area
