Country moving towards dictatorship: Lalu Prasad Yadav on arrest of activists

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre, saying the “country is moving towards dictatorship”. Speaking to mediapersons after being brought from Patna to Ranchi, the former Bihar chief minister condemned the arrests of activists by police on Wednesday.

The RJD supremo said, “This country is moving towards dictatorship. The arrests of the five intellectuals show that the country is moving towards emergency and I condemn it.”

The former chief minister made the remarks after he was taken from Patna to Ranchi after Jharkhand High Court asked him to surrender by August 30.

Several opposition parties, including the Congress and the CPM, have lashed out at the government over the arrest of activists and raids by police at their residences across five states. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also issued notice to Maharashtra government and Director General of Police. According to the NHRC, standard operating procedures were not followed in the arrest of the activists.

The Supreme Court also gave interim relief to the activists, arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence, saying they can be kept only under house arrest till the next hearing of the case. The top court also issued a notice to the Maharashtra government. The case will next be heard on September 6.

Attacking the government over the police action on Tuesday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had said that there was place for just one NGO in India, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the Gandhi scion said, “There is only place for one NGO in India and it's called the RSS. Shut down all other NGOs. Jail all activists and shoot those that complain. Welcome to the new India. #BhimaKoregaon.”

The arrest took place after police conducted multiple raids across five states in Maharashtra, Goa, Telangana, Delhi and Jharkhand as part of the probe into the violence at Maharashtra's Koregaon Bhima village following an event held in Pune last year.