New Delhi, February 24: The arrest of Uday Bhanu Chib, the National President of the Indian Youth Congress, by Delhi Police has drawn sharp criticism from Harish Rawat, the former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Rawat stated that this act represents an attack on freedom of expression.
In a conversation in Dehradun, Rawat expressed concern over the manner in which the Youth Congress leader was apprehended and subsequently remanded. He labeled the incident as a significant worry, asserting that it constitutes an assault on the right to speak freely.
He pointed out that recent events surrounding the AI Summit and the India-US trade deal have adversely affected national interests. Rawat emphasized that the Youth Congress was merely voicing its opposition to perceived harm to India’s interests. He condemned the treatment of the youth organization as akin to that of criminals, arguing that such actions suppress freedom of expression.
“The government does not dictate what is a political move; the public does,” he stated. “If there has been a violation of law, authorities should clarify what it was and what legal actions should follow. Treating individuals as traitors is unacceptable, and we denounce it.”
Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala also weighed in, asserting that everyone has their own method of protest. He recalled that even before independence, figures like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru took necessary steps to highlight people’s issues and the struggle for freedom. Surjewala insisted that peaceful dissent should never be deemed undemocratic or treasonous.
“We stand firmly with our National President Uday Bhanu and all comrades. This will be remembered as a dark chapter in history,” he declared.
Surjewala further argued that if a government deceives the nation regarding trade agreements, exposing such actions in every forum is not a crime. He encouraged every Congress member and citizen to continue doing so. “If opposing the government through democratic and peaceful means is considered a crime, we accept that and will persist. What crime have our Youth Congress members or Uday Bhanu committed? Raising issues through protests is not a crime. In a democracy, opposing a government that compromises national interests is not undemocratic.”
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