Amid reports of people being arrested in Delhi, over putting up posters criticising the prime minister in connection with poor handling of the covid crisis, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi on Sunday has dared the centre to arrest him as well as he tweeted the picture critical of the leadership's policy on vaccines. A bunch of Congress and other party leaders have also hit out at the centre on the matter.
Tweeting the same poster, Mr Gandhi wrote, "Arrest me too," in both English and Hindi.
"Modi Ji, why did you send vaccines meant for our children, abroad?" the poster read.
Following the arrest of 17 people by Delhi Police on Saturday over allegedly pasting posters at several places of the national capital criticising the prime minister of poorly handling the covid second wave. The Delhi Police has stated it has lodged about 21 cases under the Defacement of Public Property Act & Section 188 in the matter relating to the posters. For the uninformed, the Delhi Police reports to the Union Home Ministry.
Areas like Shahdara, Rohini, Rithala, Dwarka and other places were filled with these posters. The police have also recovered CCTV footage from the Shahdara area where people were seen putting up the posters, a source said. The source also added that the police are interrogating the person to identify other people. People were also paid Rs 50the 0 in the Shahdara area for pasting the posters, the source added.
Congress leader Pawan Khera said: "People have expectations from the government which has broken... so whom the people will question when you want all the credit. Why should people not ask a question that why their vaccines have been exported," he asked?
Opposition parties and critics have targeted the Narendra Modi-led government, for mishandling the second covid wave crisis and focusing on its image.
States governments like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh ruled by BJP have been accused of trying to hide the covid numbers.
Several opposition leaders have criticised the arrests pointing "lawless state gone amuck". They also had retweeted the same posters that were pasted on walls.
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The Trinamool and the CPM have also voiced their opposition to the arrests. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh went one step ahead, challenging the police, “I am putting up posters on my compound wall tomorrow. Come get me.”