Senior Congress leader and lawyer Kapil Sibal on Thursday slammed the government for booking a journalist, among others, under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sedition in connection with the Hathras incident in Uttar Pradesh.
An FIR lodged in the Mant police station, against four who were arrested near Mathura, enroute to Hathras, on Monday charges them under various laws, for promoting enmity between groups and UAPA, apart from others.
Sibal, taking to Twitter, reminded that earlier in the Parliament he had said that the UAPA would be used to "target our own" and to "silence dissent".
"UAPA. Journalists booked under UAPA: "Alleged conspiracy behind their visit to Hathras" Intervening in debate in Rajya Sabha I said UAPA will be used to target our own. Being used to silence dissent. Wanted "Swaraj" not for the "Raj" to be back," Sibal's tweet read.
Earlier, an FIR has been registered against four people, with links to Popular Front of India (PFI), in Mathura. The registered FIR states that pamphlets, six smartphones and a laptop had been recovered from the possession of Atiq ur Rehman, Alam, Siddiqui and Masood Ahmed.
According to the FIR, four persons who were apprehended from Mathura on October 5 and had links with PFI "were going to Hathras to disrupt peace as part of larger conspiracy". It also states that media reports have pointed out that some antisocial elements are plotting to harm social harmony by instigating caste factions using the pretext of the Hathras incident.
Prashant Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), had earlier said that they received credible information about the movement of some suspicious people towards Hathras from Delhi, after which police started a checking drive at Mathura toll plaza, during which they were nabbed.
Kumar said they came to know about their connection with the PFI and its co-orgsation, the Campus Front of India, during interrogation.
( With inputs from ANI )
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