Why Did MP Congress Stand by Party Worker Arrested by Delhi Police over 'Vote-Chori' Video?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The Congress party is rallying behind Manjeet Ghoshi following his arrest.
- Accusations are being made against the BJP for political intimidation.
- Legal representation is being organized for Ghoshi's defense.
- The incident raises questions about freedom of expression in India.
- Political tensions between Congress and BJP are escalating.
Bhopal/New Delhi, Nov 22 (NationPress) The Congress party's Madhya Pradesh branch has shown solidarity with party member Manjeet Ghoshi, who was apprehended by the Delhi Police from his village on allegations of disseminating a misleading video that claimed 'vote chori' on social media.
Jitu Patwari, the president of Madhya Pradesh Congress, accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of intimidating opposition members to instill fear among them.
“The Delhi Police apprehended a humble party worker merely for voicing his opinion, taking him away before our team could reach the police station,” Patwari told IANS on Saturday.
Ghoshi was arrested on Friday in Narsinghpur district. He is charged with spreading an old video from a protest in Rajasthan, falsely asserting it depicted a ‘vote-chori protest’ in Bihar.
The Congress party alleged that Ghoshi was denied the right to see his family before being transported to Delhi.
Patwari remarked that the police targeted a social media activist because he sought to reveal the truth about alleged vote theft in the nation. “What is the value of truth today?” he questioned.
The Congress leader defended Ghoshi, noting that numerous instances exist where BJP leaders have shared deceptive videos inciting violence without facing arrest.
“A social activist (Ghoshi) was arrested solely because he is affiliated with Congress,” he claimed.
Patwari mentioned having communicated with Ghoshi's family in Narsinghpur, providing them with assurances of complete legal assistance.
Senior advocate and Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha stated his legal team would represent Ghoshi at the Patiala House District Court in New Delhi on Saturday.
The police reported that Ghoshi had shared on X a video of a torchlight march, which actually occurred in September in Jhalawar, Rajasthan, demanding justice for victims of a school tragedy.
Just three days post the Bihar assembly election results, Ghoshi inaccurately claimed the video illustrated a protest by individuals opposing the BJP's rise to power via ‘vote-chori’ (vote theft) in Bihar.