Arrest of rights activists an act to "silence dissent": Plea by Romila, others

The arrest of five rights activists by the Maharashtra Police on alleged Maoist links is aimed at silencing dissent and instilling fear in the minds of the people, noted historian Romila Thapar and four other academicians told the Supreme Court today.

The petition filed by the five intellectuals alleged that the Pune police action was the "biggest attack" on freedom and liberty of citizens by resorting to high-handedness without any credible evidence. It also alleged that no action was taken against right-wing workers, against whom FIRs were lodged as they "were behind" the Koregaon-Bhima violence.

While observing that the dissent was the "safety valve" of democracy, the apex court today kept the five human rights activists arrested in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence case under house arrest at their homes till September 6.

Besides Thapar, noted economist Prabhat Patnaik, Padma Bhushan awardee and noted economist Devaki Jain, Sociology professor in Delhi University Satish Deshpande and Maja Daruwala who is barrister by training and senior advisor with Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative have filed the petition in the apex court challenging the arrests.

The petition sought to "bring on record the gross abuse of police power in the country which in intended to stifle, if not kill, independent voices and differing ideology from the party in power."