Dalit Leader Arrested After Claiming Narendra Modi 'Considers Mahatma Gandhi's Assassin a God'

Student activist-turned-politician Jignesh Mevani is a staunch critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ahead of the Gujarat state assembly election, he is spearheading several demonstrations supporting Dalits and minorities in Modi's home state of Gujarat.

Dalit leader and Gujarat state legislator Jignesh Mevani was arrested by Assam state police on late Wednesday over his recent tweets that described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a supporter of Nathuram Godse.

Godse assassinated India's non-violent freedom movement icon Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, known by the reverent title Mahatma Gandhi, in New Delhi on 30 January, 1948.

In a series of tweets, Mevani allegedly stated that Modi, who "considers Godse as God," should appeal for peace and harmony against communal clashes in Gujarat.

Both tweets have been taken down by Twitter, with a message from the company saying they are being withheld in India based on a "legal demand".

Jignesh Mevani Twitter Account

© Photo : Twitter

On 10 April, two cities in Gujarat, Khambhat and Himmatnagar, witnessed violence between Hindus and Muslims during Ram Navami processions. One person died and many shops and vehicles were set on fire and vandalised.

A criminal case has been opened against 600 people for their role in Himmatnagar violence.

Since the incident, minor clashes between the two communities have been reported in Himmatnagar city.

The legislator was arrested in Gujarat and will be taken to Assam's capital Guwahati. The BJP is the ruling party in Gujarat and Assam states.

Speaking to reporters, a senior Gujarat Police officer said the Assam Police charged Mevani under non-bailable statutes including "criminal conspiracy, injuring or defiling place of worship with an intent to insult religion of any class, promoting enmity between two communities, intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of peace, criminal intimidation, besides some sections of Information and Technology Act".

Meanwhile, Mevani's team said that police are yet to share an official copy of the complaint.

"Prima facie we have been informed about some cases filed against him in Assam," they added.

Jignesh Mevani Team

© Photo : Twitter

In September, Mevani extended support to the Congress Party in the upcoming state elections.

Had he joined the party, he would have had to resign. But since then he has been actively involved in spearheading protests and debates organised by Congress in the state.

Launching a campaign against Mevani's arrest, the Congress party will hold a protest on Thursday.

Meanwhile, many activists have condemned the BJP for Mevani's arrest.

Activist Kavita Krishnan Against Jignesh Mevani Arrest

© Photo : Twitter

Mevani stepped into the limelight in 2016 after he led massive protests against the rising number of assaults committed by Hindu groups against Dalits in Gujarat.

A year later, in 2017, with the support of Congress, Mevani won the Vadgam constituency in Banaskantha District, defeating the BJP's incumbent legislator Vijaykumar Chakravarti by almost 20,000 votes.

The BJP has governed the state since 1998, during which Modi served three terms as state chief from 2001 until 2014 when he resigned to take over as Prime Minister of India.

Later, in the 2017 Gujarat elections, the BJP's share of assembly seats dropped from 182 to below 100 for the first time since 1998.