Ahmedabad: 8 people arrested in Gujarat over ‘Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao’ posters

Eight people were on Friday arrested in connection with “Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao (remove Modi, save nation)” posters in Ahmedabad days after the Delhi Police filed 185 cases and apprehended six people while they were delivering similar material last week to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) offices.

The police action in Delhi prompted AAP national convenor and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to compare it with censorship during British rule.

In a statement, the Gujarat Police said the eight were arrested for illegally putting up the posters.

The cases over the posters in Delhi were earlier registered under the Press and Registration of Books Act’s Section 12, which says every book or paper printed in India shall mention the name of the printer and the place of printing clearly, and the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act’s Section 3 that relates to defacing.

The six people arrested in Delhi were released on bail after a few hours. The AAP condemned the action, saying the arrests were a “direct assault on India’s democratic structure”.

The AAP intensified its poster war targeting Modi on Thursday.

Posters asking whether the country needed an educated Prime Minister emerged in several parts of Delhi on Thursday a week after AAP launched the Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao” campaign.

AAP leader and Delhi minister Gopal Rai said similar posters in 11 languages are being put up in 22 states. He added that the party would also put up these posters at universities across India from April 10.

The BJP responded to the poster campaign with one of its own “Kejriwal Hatao, Delhi Bachao (remove Kejriwal, save Delhi)”. They described Kejriwal as a “dishonest, corrupt dictator”.

AAP lawmaker Sanjay Singh wondered if it has become a crime to ask if the Prime Minister should be educated.