Former Delhi Minister and Leader of the Opposition Shri Haroon Yusuf said that India is being turned into a “Police State” by the Modi Government by putting people’s representatives, political leaders and journalists in jails, for pointing out the mistakes of the ruling party.

Addressing a joint press conference at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan here today, Shri Haroon Yusuf and AICC SC/ST Cell chairman and ex-MLA Shri Rajesh Lilothia said that the Congress party strongly condemns the jailing of Gujarat Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani for tweeting against Modi, as he was arrested by the Assam police in Gujarat and took him to Guwahati, to harass him and put him behind the bars.  They said that it was a tragic state of affairs that Opposition leaders and journalists were being  locked up in jails and tortured for speaking the truth, in violation of democratic traditions. Others present at the press conference were Vice-chairmen of the Communications Department Shri Parvez Alam and Shri Anuj Attrey.

Shri Haroon Yusuf said that not only the Modi Government, but also the Aam Aadmi Party Government in Punjab was also acting like the BJP, at the behest of AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, as the Punjab Police served a notice to Congress leader and ex-MLA Ms. Alka Lamba for making a political statement. He said that Congress had all along said that Arvind was the “B” team of the BJP, and all his actions after coming to power in Delhi, bear that out. He said that the court wanted to free Mevani from jail, but the Assam Government, in a bid to suppress the voice of Dalits, slapped another charge on Mevani to re-arrest him. Shri Yusuf said that in future, all Opposition leaders will be put behind the bars if they dare raise their voice on behalf of the people.

Shri Rajesh Lilothia said that both the Modi and the Arvind Governments were anti-Dalits, and they were misusing the name of  Baba Saheb Ambedkar for political gains, while crushing  the voice of Dalits. He demanded that all those who have been jailed for speaking against the ruling party should be released.

Shri Lilothia said that if the BJP does not agree with what Mevani had tweeted, then the Modi Government should hold a press conference and condemn Nathuram Godse, who had murdered Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. He said that the Congress party will hold protests across the country for the release of Mevani.