Facebook arrests: Sena calls for bandh as two cops are suspended, magistrate shifted

The Shiv Sena has called for a bandh in Palghar town tomorrow after two police officers, including the police chief of Thane (rural), were today suspended for the arrest of two young women over a Facebook post criticising the shutdown for Bal Thackeray‘s funeral, while the judicial magistrate who remanded them in custody was shunted out.

Superintendent of police Ravindra Sengaonkar and senior police inspector Shrikant Pingle have been suspended and a departmental inquiry ordered against them, Maharashtra home minister RR Patil told reporters.

He promised that the departmental inquiry would be completed in the shortest possible time.

Patil said additional SP Sangram Nishandar has been “warned in writing and reprimanded” for dereliction of duty.

“Wrong sections were applied against the girls. There was no need to take hasty action [against the girls],” Patil said, adding that senior officers will probe what charges can be dropped.

Earlier, the Bombay high court transferred judicial magistrate RG Bagade who first remanded Shaheen Dhada and Renu Srinivasan in custody and later granted them bail for a surety of Rs15,000 each.

The two young women were arrested on November 19 after the former posted a Facebook status lamenting the November 18 shutdown and the latter “liked” it.

Though Dhada had not named Thackeray, a local Sena activist complained against the women and police arrested the duo on November 19, sparking an outrage. A hospital owned by Dhada’s uncle was also vandalised despite her apology for having hurt the sentiments of Thackeray’s followers.

The arrest had set off a debate with some legal experts maintaining that instead of remanding and then enlarging the girls on bail, Bagade should have discharged them from the case as they had been booked wrongly.

Bagade’s transfer order issued yesterday by the registrar of the Bombay high court said, “JMFC at Palghar RG Bagade is hereby transferred in the same position to Jalgaon with immediate effect.”

Patil said SP Sengaonkar was placed under suspension for disobeying his superiors, who had advised against arresting the girls. Inspector Pingle invited action for charging them under wrong sections and preparing faulty records, he said.

source : PTI

India’s Shame: World Reacts to FB Post Arrest

The arrest of 21 year old Shaheen Dhada for posting anti-Bal Thackeray comments has not only outraged Indians. The story has been picked up and reported across international media as well. Though they may not be aware of the complexities of Indian politics, the fact that young girls were arrested for an FB post has got them questioning the dwindling tolerance for the freedom of speech in India.

The Wall Street Journal warns ,’You better think twice before ‘Liking’ your friends’ comments on Facebook.  It may land you in jail.’ The article quotes Pranesh Prakash, policy director at the Centre for Internet and Society saying “Bal Thackeray had violated the same provisions in his lifetime,” with reference to Mr. Thackeray’s inflammatory speeches against the South Indians and Muslims.

The BBC put a question mark on India’s commitment to freedom of speech by citing recent examples of the arrest of a cartoonist like Ravi Srinivasan, a 46-year-old businessman in the southern Indian city of Pondicherry, who was arrested for a tweet criticising Karti Chidambaram, son of Indian Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

UK’s Daily Mail, says ‘So much for freedom of speech’ and questions the IT act which led to the arrest.

In a New York Times article, Pranesh Prakash questioned the arbitrariness in the application of the law saying ‘There were thousands of people on Facebook, Twitter and in person who were saying the exact same kinds of things that this girl is alleged to have said’. The article also stated that Shiv Sena has a history of banning books, movies and other popular culture that are critical of the political party.

Mashable noted that several dissenters had taken to Twitter to speak out about the arrest including Milind Deora, the government minister of state, communications and information technology, who showed support for Dhadha and Renu with this tweet:

It also asked ‘Do you think Facebook is a good place to voice political opinions?’

The Christian Science Monitor calls the incident ‘the latest in a string of crackdowns on Internet speech in the world’s largest democracy’. It says, ‘The other cases have included arrest of a resident of Chandigarh who complained on the Facebook page of Chandigarh police that they were not doing enough to find her stolen car; a cartoonist who posted work online protesting corruption scandals by the central government; and a professor in Kolkata who merely forwarded an email with a cartoon that was critical of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.’ The article also mentions Shaheen Dhada’s uncle, Dr. Abdullah Ghaffar Dhada stating that he had incurred losses of two million Rupees due to the ransacking of his clinic by angry Shiv Sainiks.

Pak Cricket Board chief sends Thackeray ‘get well soon’ message

Pakistan‘s cricket board chairman Zaka Ashraf on Thursday sent a “get well soon” message to Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, who is in critical condition in Mumbai.

The health condition of the Shiv Sena chief turned critical Wednesday night.

“I have sent a message of get well soon to Mr Bal Thackeray,” Ashraf said.

“Our religion and our Prophet Mohammad taught us that we should wish everyone good health and life and following that I have wished him well and sent him a bouquet,” Ashraf was quoted as having said by Pakistani media.

Thackeray has demanded that the Indian government cancel next month’s tour by the Pakistani cricket team.

The 86-year-old said that sporting ties should not revived until Pakistan brings the perpetrators of 2008 Mumbai terror attacks to justice.

However, the Indian government earlier this month gave the go-ahead for a tour of two Twenty20 and three one-day internationals to commence in December-January — the first between the arch-rivals in five years.

IANS