CM Yogi gives sedition scare

Upping the ante against anti-CAA protesters, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister in a rally in Kanpur on Wednesday warned that he would slap the stringent National Security Act should they chant “Azadi slogans”.

“If you chant Azadi slogans, you will be booked for sedition,” Yogi said at a rally in Kanpur.

On Tuesday, Home minister Amit Shah had warned protesters that those chanting Azadi slogans would be put behind bars.

In Delhi, the Lieutenant Governor late Friday

passed an order conferring the Commissioner of Police with the power to detain people under the draconian National Security Act. Under the NSA, an individual can be detained without charge for up to 12 months. The individual also need not be informed of the charges for 10 days.

The opposition parties on Thursday slammed UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Samajwadi Party drew an analogy with the British rule while the Congress termed it as “a language of dictators”. SP leader Ram Govind Chaudhary said, “The British, too, had frowned at freedom fighters and dubbed them as terrorists. People should not worry about such threats. BJP’s countdown has started and that is why their leaders are ranting.”

The state is witnessing series of protests across all major cities, including Lucknow, for many days. Both the intensity and scale are going up despite coercive action by the police and incessant threats issued by ruling party leaders and ministers.