<p>The arrest of Saket Gokhale, a spokesman of Trinamool Congress, for allegedly making a false claim about the expenditure involved in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Morbi in November was wrong and an excessive exercise of power. The Gujarat police picked up Gokhale from Jaipur in Rajasthan last week over a tweet on Modi’s visit to Morbi in the wake of a bridge collapse there last month. He was arrested on the basis of an FIR invoking various sections of the IPC for forgery, defamation etc. Immediately after he got bail, he was arrested again. Another case was filed against him by the Meghalaya government, where the BJP is in power along with its ally the National People’s Party (NPP), on a different set of charges. The TMC is the main opposition party in the state, and Gokhale has filed a counter case against the state’s Deputy Chief Minister. </p>.<p>Gokhale was unwise to re-tweet a post that exaggerated the expenses incurred on the Prime Minister’s visit. It is being held against him that he spread fake news and he faces the prospect of two or three years’ imprisonment for that while, ironically, the police still have no clue as to who originally posted the tweet. It should be noted at the same time that those who are responsible for causing the bridge collapse, which killed over 140 persons, have not yet been arrested. Their offence would attract punishment of up to life imprisonment. Questions have been asked from the time the collapse happened why they have not been arrested. There has been no answer for them. Doubts have also been raised as to whether the Gujarat police followed proper procedure in the arrest of Gokhale. He was arrested in Jaipur and brought to Ahmedabad, and it has been claimed that the Jaipur police were not informed of his arrest in its territory.</p>.<p>The action against Gokhale could only be taken as vindictive action which is disproportionate to the offence he may have committed. Action was also taken against him in a far-away state, and more such actions may follow. Fake news is a problem in the country and it should certainly be discouraged and acted upon. But action is not taken in most cases of fake news, and when it is taken it is selectively against opposition leaders and voices. The country has seen fake news which has led to serious consequences like disruption of peace and even killings. It is also well known that much of such fake news is politically motivated. The arrest of Gokhale is a case of harassment and persecution. It is similar to the persecution of political opponents and critics that has been frequently witnessed in the country. </p>
<p>The arrest of Saket Gokhale, a spokesman of Trinamool Congress, for allegedly making a false claim about the expenditure involved in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Morbi in November was wrong and an excessive exercise of power. The Gujarat police picked up Gokhale from Jaipur in Rajasthan last week over a tweet on Modi’s visit to Morbi in the wake of a bridge collapse there last month. He was arrested on the basis of an FIR invoking various sections of the IPC for forgery, defamation etc. Immediately after he got bail, he was arrested again. Another case was filed against him by the Meghalaya government, where the BJP is in power along with its ally the National People’s Party (NPP), on a different set of charges. The TMC is the main opposition party in the state, and Gokhale has filed a counter case against the state’s Deputy Chief Minister. </p>.<p>Gokhale was unwise to re-tweet a post that exaggerated the expenses incurred on the Prime Minister’s visit. It is being held against him that he spread fake news and he faces the prospect of two or three years’ imprisonment for that while, ironically, the police still have no clue as to who originally posted the tweet. It should be noted at the same time that those who are responsible for causing the bridge collapse, which killed over 140 persons, have not yet been arrested. Their offence would attract punishment of up to life imprisonment. Questions have been asked from the time the collapse happened why they have not been arrested. There has been no answer for them. Doubts have also been raised as to whether the Gujarat police followed proper procedure in the arrest of Gokhale. He was arrested in Jaipur and brought to Ahmedabad, and it has been claimed that the Jaipur police were not informed of his arrest in its territory.</p>.<p>The action against Gokhale could only be taken as vindictive action which is disproportionate to the offence he may have committed. Action was also taken against him in a far-away state, and more such actions may follow. Fake news is a problem in the country and it should certainly be discouraged and acted upon. But action is not taken in most cases of fake news, and when it is taken it is selectively against opposition leaders and voices. The country has seen fake news which has led to serious consequences like disruption of peace and even killings. It is also well known that much of such fake news is politically motivated. The arrest of Gokhale is a case of harassment and persecution. It is similar to the persecution of political opponents and critics that has been frequently witnessed in the country. </p>
