India: 25 people arrested for posters critical of the management of the pandemic
Indian police on patrol during the Covid-19 outbreak.
AFP - NARINDER NANU
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
25 people were arrested in New Delhi for putting up posters criticizing the management of the pandemic by the former Minister Narendra Modi.
The opposition strongly denounces an attack on democratic freedoms.
Publicity
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With our correspondent in Bangalore
,
Côme Bastin
“
Dear Modi, why did you send
our children's
vaccines
overseas?
This question was written in white on a black background and printed on posters plastered in different parts of the capital.
For having pasted them, 25 people have been arrested since this Saturday, May 15.
Most are small workers like Tuk-tuk drivers or newspaper vendors.
The police accuse them of degrading private property and neglect contributing to the spread of the pandemic.
The defendants were released this Sunday, May 16.
However, an investigation was opened to find out if they were paid for their activism.
Rahul Gandhi: "
Stop me too
"
The Indian opposition reacted strongly to these arrests, which they consider contrary to freedom of expression.
The
recently re-elected
TMC Party
in West Bengal
claimed the question asked was perfectly valid.
Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi shared a virtual version of the poster with the hashtag “
stop me too
”, which has gone viral on the Internet.
Arrest me too.
मुझे भी गिरफ़्तार करो।
pic.twitter.com/eZWp2NYysZ
- Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 16, 2021
The controversy comes after the chairman of the youth wing of the Congress party was questioned by police on Friday.
His crime?
Having illegally distributed medical equipment against
Covid-19.
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