Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. (File)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the apex court decision to not interfere with the arrest of the five activists in the Elgaar Parishad case “vindicated our stand against urban Maoists”, while BJP president Amit Shah demanded an apology from the Opposition.
“Today’s Supreme Court verdict has vindicated our stand against the urban Maoists. In fact, this was absolutely a conspiracy against the nation. And the Supreme Court has pointed out that it is not a political move or political conspiracy,” Fadnavis told reporters after the decision.
The Supreme Court had put the five human rights activists, accused of links to Maoists, under house arrest after police arrested them on August 28. The police were probing an alleged Maoist link to a meeting of Elgaar Parishad in Pune on the eve of January 1 violence in Bhima Koregaon.
“The police crackdown was not confined to a single case of Bhima Koregaon. While investigating the case, multiple aspects came to the fore which necessitated strong action,” said Fadnavis.
“I think those plotting to assassinate the Prime Minister of India are enemies of the country. And therefore Pune police took the action. We have enough material to convict them,” he said.
Critics of the BJP-led governments in the state and Centre had dubbed the crackdown on activists as an attempt to muzzle dissent. However, the apex court said it “was of the considered opinion that it is not a case of arrest because of mere dissenting views expressed or difference in the political ideology of the named accused, but concerning their link with the members of the banned organisation and its activities”.
The ruling BJP used the Supreme Court decision to attack the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress. The party demanded an apology from the Opposition.
“India is a vibrant democracy with a healthy culture of debate, discussion and dissent. However, plotting against the country with the intent to harm our citizens is not one of these. Those who politicised the issue need to apologise,” BJP president Amit Shah tweeted.
In another tweet he said: “Those who stooped down to the level of politicising an issue of national security have been exposed by the Honorable Supreme Court’s decision today. It is high time that the Congress now clears its stand on this critical issue of Urban Naxalism”.
On Shah’s demand for an apology, Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala said: “Let first Narendra Modi and Shah apologise to the nation for inviting the dreaded Pakistani ISI to our sacrosanct Pathankot air base. Let Shah apologise for reposing confidence in the ISI which is the benefactor, protector and harbinger and exporter of terrorism from Pakistan to India.”
“What the Supreme Court has decided is that the police will conduct its investigation. I do not think the law or the Constitution permits anybody to be held guilty without the verdict of a court. Shah was externed (from Gujarat) by the Court once and has been in jail for long time, he should know… that it is only on conviction that anybody is found guilty,” Surjewala said.
Shah slammed Rahul Gandhi and described the Congress as the center for “idiocy”. “There is only one place for idiocy and it’s called the Congress. Support ‘Bharat Ke Tukde Tukde Gang’, Maoists, fake activists and corrupt elements. Defame all those who are honest and working. Welcome to Rahul Gandhi’s Congress. #BhimaKoregaon,” Shah tweeted.