<p>Mumbai: Describing the Jan Suraksha Bill as “height of dictatorship and authoritarianism”, the Congress on Tuesday slammed the Devendra Fadnavis-headed BJP-led Maha Yuti government in Maharashtra for trying to suppress the voice of the people.</p><p>“The Jan Suraksha Bill that the BJP-led alliance government in the state is trying to introduce is the height of authoritarianism. In 1919, the British government had introduced the Rowlatt Act, a black law designed to imprison individuals without any investigation or trial. Today, Fadnavis is attempting to reintroduce that very Rowlatt Act in a new form in Maharashtra. This law is being brought in to suppress the voice of the people,” state Congress President Harshavarshan Sapkal said.</p>.'Staggeringly out-of-touch claim': Congress on India becoming fourth 'most equal' country .<p>“Even though Fadnavis claims the law is meant to curb urban Naxalism, everyone knows his words and intentions don’t match. The very "urban Naxalism" they are fear mongering about does not actually exist. This has been clarified by their own central government in response to an RTI query,” Sapkal told reporters at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi. </p><p>“The so-called urban Naxalism that exists in Fadnavis’ mind has even extended to labelling the Warkari sect as urban Naxals. Even literary thinkers and followers of Shivaji, Shahu, Phule, and Ambedkar's ideologies are being branded as urban Naxals. Those who oppose caste-based discrimination, advocate for equality, demand social justice, and call for gender parity—these progressive and reformist groups are being targeted as urban Naxals. Going a step further, they may even label the work of Saint Dnyaneshwar, Saint Tukaram, Gadge Baba, Tukdoji Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, and Subhas Chandra Bose as urban Naxalism,” said Sapkal.</p><p>“By using the smooth-sounding term “urban Naxalism,” they aim to dismantle the progressive movement. Under this law, the government could act against any institution, its donors, or its members without investigation and imprison them. The Public Safety Act categorises offences as cognisable and non-bailable. Fadnavis has brought in this black law to suppress all voices of dissent against the government,” he added. </p>
<p>Mumbai: Describing the Jan Suraksha Bill as “height of dictatorship and authoritarianism”, the Congress on Tuesday slammed the Devendra Fadnavis-headed BJP-led Maha Yuti government in Maharashtra for trying to suppress the voice of the people.</p><p>“The Jan Suraksha Bill that the BJP-led alliance government in the state is trying to introduce is the height of authoritarianism. In 1919, the British government had introduced the Rowlatt Act, a black law designed to imprison individuals without any investigation or trial. Today, Fadnavis is attempting to reintroduce that very Rowlatt Act in a new form in Maharashtra. This law is being brought in to suppress the voice of the people,” state Congress President Harshavarshan Sapkal said.</p>.'Staggeringly out-of-touch claim': Congress on India becoming fourth 'most equal' country .<p>“Even though Fadnavis claims the law is meant to curb urban Naxalism, everyone knows his words and intentions don’t match. The very "urban Naxalism" they are fear mongering about does not actually exist. This has been clarified by their own central government in response to an RTI query,” Sapkal told reporters at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi. </p><p>“The so-called urban Naxalism that exists in Fadnavis’ mind has even extended to labelling the Warkari sect as urban Naxals. Even literary thinkers and followers of Shivaji, Shahu, Phule, and Ambedkar's ideologies are being branded as urban Naxals. Those who oppose caste-based discrimination, advocate for equality, demand social justice, and call for gender parity—these progressive and reformist groups are being targeted as urban Naxals. Going a step further, they may even label the work of Saint Dnyaneshwar, Saint Tukaram, Gadge Baba, Tukdoji Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, and Subhas Chandra Bose as urban Naxalism,” said Sapkal.</p><p>“By using the smooth-sounding term “urban Naxalism,” they aim to dismantle the progressive movement. Under this law, the government could act against any institution, its donors, or its members without investigation and imprison them. The Public Safety Act categorises offences as cognisable and non-bailable. Fadnavis has brought in this black law to suppress all voices of dissent against the government,” he added. </p>