A Tamil Nadu Politician that’s a member of the MDMK party has been arrested after posting a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a begging bowl on the social media networking site Facebook. Critics have labeled this arrest a clampdown on free speech.
Sathiyaraj also was known as Balu, who is an MDMK worker in the town of Sirkazhi, was arrested by the police on Sunday after a complaint was registered by the Local BJP leader J Swaminathan. Balu is now facing 2 charges which are intended to disrupt peace and create clashes between classes.
Police say that Sathiyaraj has been sent to judicial custody after he was brought to the court today.
The MDMK member posted a picture of Narendra Modi holding a begging bowl on January 26, the MDMK were doing a protest against PM Modi visiting Madurai. The MDMK part says that the PM of India has betrayed the interests of Tamil Nadu.
This arrest came one month after a Journalist in Manipur was sentenced to 1-year detention under the national security act. 39-year-old Kishorechandra Wangkhem was detained on the 27th of December to “prevent him from acting in any matter prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order”.
Kishorechandra Wangkhem was seen in a video that was posted on Facebook, he was seen criticizing PM Modi and Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly at The Human Rights Watch said: “There has been a worrying crackdown on free speech and dissent in India, whether slogans, social media commentary against ruling leaders, or arrests of journalists and activists who criticize the government.”