Oppn slams BJP for arrest of Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani

New Delhi, April 21 (UNI) Opposition parties including Congress on Thursday launched a scathing attack at the ruling BJP after Independent MLA from Gujarat’s Vadgam Assembly constituency Jignesh Mevani was arrested by Assam police, and termed it “unconstitutional”.
“When an MLA raising his voice against the government is not safe. How will a common person be safe? But don’t be scared, the Congress party stands against injustice,” the grand old party wrote in a social media post, in a veiled attack on the ruling dispensation, with the hashtag ‘Release Jignesh Mevani’.
Reacting to the Dalit leader’s arrest, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi accused the Centre of misusing the state machinery to crush “dissent”.
“Modi ji, you can try to crush ‘dissent’ by abusing the state machinery.But you can never imprison the truth,” he said in a tweet with the hashtag ‘Daro Mat (Don’t be scared)’ and ‘Satyameva Jayate’.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said, “Such an arrest of a people’s representative not only betrays their fear of criticism but also attacks the foundations of our democracy.”
“The unlawful and unconstitutional arrest of Jignesh Mevani at midnight by Assam police is the latest proof of authoritarianism under BJP,” he said.
Condemning Mevani’s arrest, Congress Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said, “I condemn the manner in which Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has converted the Assam police into a political arm of the BJP. The arrest of Jignesh Mevani is disgraceful. ”
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala asked whether appealing for “brotherhood” a crime in “New India”.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) claimed that Mevani was arrested on “bogus grounds”.
“CPI(M) strongly condemns arrest of Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani by Assam police on bogus grounds and demands his immediate release,” the party tweeted.
Attacking the BJP, Trinamool Congress leader Ripun Bora in a tweet said, “Democracy at knife edge? How can police randomly arrest an MLA from another state in middle of the night without any prior notice? It’s a matter of concern for everyone as our nation has turned into an ‘authoritarian’ police state!.”
Mevani was arrested by Assam police from Gujarat’s Palanpur last night after a complaint was registered against him at Kokrajhar police station in Assam under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for his alleged tweet criticising the Prime Minister.