Cong wants Mevani freed, slams BJP

New Delhi, April 22 : Reiterating its demand to release independent MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani, arrested by Assam Police for an alleged offensive tweet against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Friday launched a fresh attack on the BJP. “When the BJP government arrests an opposition MLA over a tweet, no Indian citizen is safe from the ‘dictatorship’ of Modi-Shah. Their dream to browbeat the Indian soul into submission cannot succeed. Indians will resist,” said Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi. Echoing a similar sentiment, Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi wrote: “Strongly condemn the high-handed and vindictive arrest of … Mevani.” This breakdown of due process and rule of law to suppress dissent must concern all, the MP from Assam’s Nagaon tweeted. The Dalit leader, who was arrested on April 20 from Palanpur town in Gujarat, was on a three-day police remand after he was produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court at Kokrajhar in Assam. DS MR