Kanpur Lawyer Arrested On Sedition Charges For Calling Yogi Adityanath "Terrorist"

Police arrested a district court lawyer in Kanpur on sedition charges for retweeting a video of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and calling him a terrorist.

The man, identified as Abdul Hannan, had commented on a tweet by State Information Department's Media Advisor, Shalabh Mani Tripathi. The tweet comprised a video of Adityanath's Vidhan Sabha speech where he supported cane charge on people involved in protests against CAA and NRC.

"Tum kagaz nahi dikhaoge, aur danga bhi failaoge, to hum lathi bhi chalvayenge, gharbaar bhi bikvayenge… aur haan poster bhi lagwayenge (You will not show the papers and will also participate in riots, then we will cane charge, auction your houses and put up posters)," read the caption of the video.

This tweet was re-posted by Hannan, where he called Adityanath a terrorist.

In another tweet, Hannan urged all "constitution lovers" to follow him and share his tweet, adding that he would provide free legal help to protesters.

"We have registered an FIR against the person. He has been arrested and sent to jail after being produced before the court," The Indian Express quoted Ajay Seth, SHO of Kalyanpur police station, as saying.

Earlier, Two Men Arrested For "Indecent" Posters

On an earlier occasion, police arrested two people for reportedly putting up ''indecent'' posters related to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

"Two of the accused - Sudhanshu and Ashwani - have been arrested. A third man named Lalu is being searched for."

The posters, which were put up late on Friday night, March 13, were removed the next morning.

The opposition Congress has demanded that the accused be immediately released. On Sunday, March 15, the party held a protest in the state capital against the arrests.

"The way in which the BJP wants to suppress the voice of people... if there is so much of anger (due to such posters), imagine what will happen when their unlawful activities will be unmasked before the public," UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu told PTI.

"I want to gift the Indian Constitution to him (Yogi Adityanath), so that he reads it thoroughly. He wants to run the state like his mutt, which is completely unconstitutional," he added.

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