Sedition charges against 3,000 protesters to be withdrawn, CM promises action
RANCHI: The shocking instance of police booking 3,000 people for sedition for participating in a protest in Dhanbad, drew criticism and now state government has said that it is withdrawing the charges.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has said that the law is not meant to suppress the voice of citizens and scare them, rather the aim is to give them a sense of security.
In a series of tweets, Soren announced that the sedition charges would be removed and recommendation has been made to take action against the officer responsible for the act.
The SP (City) letter to Binod Singh of Dhanbad police station, ordering him to get the section 124 dropped, was also shared by the CM on social media. The protest against citizenship act, NPR and NRC at Pooja Talkies was attended by nearly 3,000 people.
However, among the 11 charges against the members who attended this peaceful protest--seven named persons including 3,000, just one charge (sedition) has been withdrawn. The other sections include 143, 145, 149, 186, 188, 290, 291, 336, 153 (A), 153 (B) of IPC, and the case still stands.
[January 8, 2019 NewsBits.in]
