Ahmedabad: Various civil society groups on Wednesday gathered in support of the arrested IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt, and alleged that Narendra Modi government was trying to create atmosphere of fear by suppressing those who speak the truth.

The activists also announced a state-wide agitation against "undemocratic" and "dictatorial" attitude of the state government.

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"There is an emergency-like situation in Gujarat. And if we do not raise our voice, the situation will be worse," said veteran Gandhian Chunni Vaidya. He condemned Bhatt`s arrest and termed government`s action as dictatorial. "I am 95 years old now, I had thought of retiring from public life, but now I have second thoughts....There is a situation of undeclared emergency in Gujarat where anybody can be put in jail for speaking against the government," he said.

He appealed to the people to come out on the streets and tell Modi that his undemocratic and dictatorial style would not work any longer.

Convener of Movement For Secular Democracy (MSD), Dwarikanath Rath, said Modi government was frightened of the truth coming out, and therefore trying to intimidate witnesses such as Bhatt, and sending out a message that those who cross government`s path would face dire consequences.

"The government was afraid.... People are not fools. They will give a befitting reply to the government at the right time," Rath said.

Social activist Teesta Setalvad said that a group of civil society, which met today, had decided to go to the people and tell them the truth of the Modi government. "By arresting an upright officer like Bhatt, government wants to tell the people that if you speak against it, you will suffer," Setalvad said.

Terming Bhatt`s arrest as panic-driven and a vindictive reaction, Setalvad said the activists would support all the IPS and IAS officers who would dare to speak the truth against the government.

She also claimed that September 12 order of the Supreme Court on the petition of Zakia Jaffery -- in Gulberg Society case -- had no losers or winners. There had been no clean chit to Modi or the 62 persons named in the petition, Setalvad said.

"It is now up to the SIT to file its report. If it files a closure report, we will have a chance to challenge it. But if it follows the comments of the Amicus Curie Raju Ramchandran, there is a distinct possibility that Modi and 62 others could be chargesheeted," Setalvad said.

PTI