Crackdown on dissent worrisome, dangerous: Akal Takht jathedar

AMRITSAR: Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Thursday said that crackdown on the people dissenting amid the farmers’ stir is worrisome and dangerous.

In a written statement, he said, “The people who have dissenting opinions and don’t agree with the government are being detained and arrested in large numbers in the country. The trend is worrisome.”

Freedom of speech and expression is an important part of democracy and arrests against this freedom are against the ethos of the democracy,” he said. The jathedar further said,

“It is shameful that cases are being registered against those who speak against the government, under serious charges of sedition and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. This trend is deadly for democracy. Adopting uncivilised and violent means to stop anyone from exercising freedom of speech and expression is inhuman.”