The Uttar Pradesh government has turned its attention to social networking sites to muzzle people’s reactions to the suspension of IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who has been receiving huge support on the web.
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday arrested a dalit thinker Kanwal Bharti in Rampur town for posting a message on Facebook criticizing the Akhilesh Yadav government for the suspension of the IAS officer and its failure on the law and order front.
According to the sources here, Bharti was arrested in Rampur after an FIR was registered against him by an aide of senior Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan. Bharti was charged with promoting communal hatred. He was produced before a court in Rampur which granted him bail.
On Facebook, Bharti said, Bharti's arrest evoked a sharp reaction on social sites with messages supporting him and decrying the government for arresting him. “I support Bharti and Nagpal. I will stay for the night at Noida. You (the police) can arrest me from there,” said a message.
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