Overview

• Akhil Gogoi, Raijor Dal chief and Assam MLA, apologized for calling Muslim BJP voters 'kafirs' and said his remarks were unintentional and poorly thought out.
• The comment, made during a panchayat election rally in Lakhimpur on April 26, 2025, drew criticism from within his party and beyond.
• In a late-night video message on April 27, Gogoi sought forgiveness, citing exhaustion from attending 20–25 rallies daily and vowing not to repeat such statements.
• The Assam AAP filed a police complaint regarding unrelated comments allegedly linking a Kashmir attack to the abrogation of Article 370, while Raijor Dal addressed a fake social media post falsely attributed to Gogoi.
• The incident has intensified scrutiny of Gogoi’s rhetoric and alliances with Congress and AIUDF, as Assam prepares for panchayat elections on May 2 and 7.