Silchar unit of ABVP protests against arrest of Arnab Goswami, burns effigy of Maharashtra govt

Nov. 5: Silchar Unit of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) raised voice of protest against the arrest of Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police under the aegis of the Maharashtra Government. During the protest demonstration in Silchar on Thursday, the ABVP karyakartas burnt the effigy of Maharashtra Government.

Speaking to way2barak, Rohit Chanda on behalf of Silchar Unit of ABVP said, “ABVP unequivocally condemns the arrest of Editor in Chief of Republic TV Arnab Goswami by the Maharashtra Police and will continue to raise voice against muzzling of free speech and press freedom for vendetta politics.The arrest of Arnab Goswami is akin to an emergency-like attack on fundamental freedom.”

“The arrest has been made on the basis of an untenable allegation of abetment to suicide made in a 2018 case which was closed after due investigation by the Raigad Police in 2018, but was subsequently reopened at the insistence of a vengeful state government,” said ABVP Central Committee in a press release issued on Wednesday.

Nidhi Tripathi, National General Secretary, ABVP, said, “This is an all-out attack on our fundamental freedom. Arnab’s arrest on flimsy grounds relating to a case that was shut after meticulous investigation but was reopened only to harass and intimidate an intrepid and influential voice in the media is reminiscent of the dark days of Emergency. ABVP demands Arnab’s expeditious release and statutory guarantees to prevent the criminalization of dissent by resentful governments.”

Meanwhile, Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by a court in Alibaug, Raigad in Maharashtra over an alleged “abetment of suicide” of an interior designer in 2018. Two others, named in the suicide note,  Feroz Shaikh and Nitesh Sarda were also sent for 14 days judicial custody by Alibaug District Magistrate Court in connection with Anvay Naik suicide case. The court gave the ruling late in the night on Wednesday.