The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), has strongly condemns the absolutely arbitrary manner in which Jignesh Mevani, MLA of the Gujarat Assembly and dalit, social activist was arrested late night on 20th April by police from Kokrajhar in Assam, who came all the way to Gujarat to take him into custody.
It is reported that Mevani was arrested following a mere tweet which asked the Indian Prime Minister Modi to appeal for peace after anti-Muslim and communal violence had erupted in the state following Ram Navami.
In his tweet, Jignesh addressed PM Modi as ‘someone who worships Gandhi’s killer Godse, and called upon him to take action in the areas of Himmat Nagar, Khambhat and Veraval to ensure communal harmony.’ Upon receipt of a complaint against this tweet from one Arup Kumar Dey, the Assam Police travelled all the way to Gujarat to arrest Jignesh late at night from the Palanpur Circuit House.
It is learnt that Jignesh has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153A and 295A for ‘promotion of enmity between communities’ and ‘intention to insult a religious community’, as well as 120-B (criminal conspiracy). The complaint registered against him shows he has also been charged under Sec 66 of the draconian IT Act.
NAPM strongly condemns this vindictive behaviour of the BJP-led state government and the Assam Police, which is yet another clear case of misuse of institutions of law.
It call upon the authorities to release him at the earliest, withdraw the FIR and comply with constitutional rights to freedom of speech, expression and due process of law.
NAPM further alleged that as elections come closer in Gujarat, these actions of the establishment reek of a clear plan to censor and intimidate opposition leaders, especially Dalit and marginalised voices. “We must unite to resist the increasing onslaught of the BJP Govt. on politically assertive youth seeking justice especially from dalit, muslim and other oppressed backgrounds”, it added.
