New Delhi, February 24: In a sharp critique, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has condemned the Delhi Police’s arrest of Indian Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib, labeling it a direct assault on the freedom of expression.
Speaking exclusively to IANS in Dehradun, Rawat expressed profound concern over the manner in which Chib was detained and sent to judicial remand. ‘This is nothing short of an attack on the right to speak freely,’ he asserted. The arrest comes amid protests related to the AI Summit and preceding events surrounding the India-US trade deal, which Rawat claims has harmed national interests.
‘We believe India’s interests have been compromised, and voicing opposition to that is our democratic right,’ Rawat said. He criticized the treatment of Youth Congress members as criminals, arguing that political actions are judged by the public, not the government. ‘If there’s a legal violation, specify it and proceed accordingly, but branding them as traitors is unacceptable,’ he added firmly.
Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala echoed these sentiments, drawing parallels to freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh. ‘Peaceful dissent is the cornerstone of democracy and can never be anti-national,’ he declared. Surjewala stood solidly behind Chib and the Youth Congress, vowing to continue exposing any governmental betrayals in trade agreements.
The controversy highlights growing tensions between the ruling establishment and opposition voices, raising questions about the space for legitimate protest in India’s democratic framework. As political battles intensify, such incidents could reshape public discourse on national policy decisions.