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print versionPeople’s Union for Civil Liberties, Rajasthan
Date: 22.04.2022
Press Release
Condemnation of the arrest of MLA Jignesh Mewani of Gujarat
Filing of criminal cases and his arrest illegal - plot to keep him out of Gujarat
Demands his immediate release
People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Rajasthan condemned the arrest of Jignesh Mewani, MLA Vadgaon, Gujarat and founder of the National Dalit Rights Forum by Assam Police. The release stated that it was clear that the BJP Government at the Centre and in the States criminalised those who dared to speak against hate, while not only not providing a free hand, but also protecting those who caused communal violence and spread hate.
PUCL in its press release said that Jignesh Mewani in his tweets made an appeal to the PM that in his forthcoming visit to Gujarat, he should urge the people of Gujarat to maintain peace and harmony, particulatly in those areas where communal violence happened over Ramnavmi celebrations.
The PUCL also added that to have taken exception to the line in the tweet, regarding Godse being venerated by the PM, was completely misplaced as the rightwing was often called out as being supporters of Godse. So there was nothing odd when Jignesh Mewani, MLA tweeted the same the release emphasised and if the Prime Minister had an issue with the tweet, then Mr.Narendra Modi should have filed a case of defamation rather than his tweet being used as a tool to criminalise Mewani, it added.
The PUCL further reiterated that nothing in the tweet warranted criminal charges. The application of Section 66 of the IT Act was misplaced, as this section only applied to acts related to hacking computers. It did not even come under the ambit of any other sections of the IPC applied for causing hate and disharmony leave alone those sections under which he has been framed viz 120(b), 153(a), 295 (a), 504, 505(1) (b) (c) (2) IPC.
