Speaking at an interaction with students of Bharathidasan Government College for Women in Puducherry, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reacted to the arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi in the ‘toolkit’ case and said that the nation’s character was being destroyed as people were not being allowed to talk.
“Maybe I’ll get arrested for saying this… if you’re shutting up the nation and frightening people and not allowing them to talk, you’re destroying the nation’s character,” Hindustan Times quoted the Wayanad MP as saying.
For the uninitiated, the 21-year-old was arrested by the Delhi Police for her alleged involvement in preparing and sharing the ‘toolkit’ related to the ongoing farmers’ protests against the Centre’s contentious three farm laws. The police have claimed that Ravi was an editor of the “toolkit Google doc” and a “key conspirator” in the document’s formulation and dissemination.
“In connection with a case regarding the investigation into the criminal conspiracy related to the toolkit document, Disha Ravi has been arrested from Bengaluru. She was one of the editors of the toolkit Google Doc and a key conspirator in the document’s formulation and dissemination,” Anil Mittal, Additional Public Relations Officer (Delhi Police) had said in a statement.
Along with Ravi, the Delhi Police had also booked Mumbai-based lawyer Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk, an engineer based in Maharashtra’s Beed district. According to the Delhi Police, the two along with Disha Ravi, were allegedly involved in preparing the document and were in direct touch with “pro-Khalistani elements”. The accused persons have been booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 124(a) for sedition, 153(a) for promoting enmity between different sections of the society and 120(b) for criminal conspiracy.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday also slammed the Centre and said it is attacking small and medium businesses because it wants all businesses to be controlled by big corporations. Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi further alleged none can get justice from the judicial system in the country without being terrified of the consequences.
Gandhi also accused Modi of not allowing the Congress government in Puducherry to function for the last nearly five years, a reference to the running feud between the Narayanasamy ministry and outgoing Lt Governor Kiran Bedi over many issues. He alleged the Prime Minister destroyed the institution of the Lt Governor and did not value the people’s mandate.
Source: Free Press Journal
