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Maharashtra activists up in arms
With no let-up in public outrage over the arrest of two young women for a Facebook posting against the shutdown in Mumbai for Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s funeral, a social activist on Tuesday moved the state women’s body against the arrest, while a Pune-based RTI based activist demanded an amendment to a “draconian” IT Act provision.
On a day when the Palghar police arrested ten Sena activists in connection with the vandalisation of a private hospital owned by the uncle of an affected woman, activist Abha Singh - wife of IPS officer-turned-lawyer YP Singh -lodged a complaint with the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) alleging human rights violation in the arrest of two women over a Facebook posting.
Simultaneously, Pune-based RTI activist Vinita Deshmukh launched an online petition urging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take immediate steps to amend the “draconian’ Section 66A of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 to ensure against misuse.
Abha Singh urged the MSCW officials to visit the Palghar police station, inspect the station diaries and probe the circumstances leading to the arrest of two women.
Shaheen and Renu, both aged 21, were arrested on Monday for a posting against the shutdown of Mumbai over Thackeray’s death. While Shaheen posted the original message, Renu “liked” the posting. After an initial refusal, Shaheen posted an apology under pressure of the local Shiv Sena activists. Despite Shaheen’s apology, the Sena activists vandalised her uncle’s private hospital.
Both Shaheen and Renu have been charged under Section 505 (2) of the IPC (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between the classes) and Section 66A of IT (Amendment) Act, 2008 (sending false and offensive messages through communication services). Both the offences prescribe a punishment of imprisonment extending up to three years each. While the IPC Section entails imprisonment or with fine, or with both, the IT section prescribes imprisonment with fine.
“The manner in which the women were arrested clearly indicates that there has been gross violation of human rights as well as Supreme Court directives for affecting arrests,” Abha Singh said.
“The two women had not committed any offence at all and it appears that the police had acted under the pressure of local politicians. The liberty of the two girls was seriously breached just because they were invoking their fundamental rights guaranteed by article 19 of the Constitution,” Abha Singh stated.
In her online petition, Deshmukh alluded to the arrest of a Pondicherry-based businessman S Ravi under 66 A of IT (Amendment) Act for posting “offensive” tweets against Karti Chidambaram, son of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and said: “Politicians and Police are using this Section now to harass citizens”.
“Section 66A of the IT Act passed by the UPA government in 2008 is very draconian in nature. It says that anyone posting an `offensive’’ message in the social media or through electronic media. `Offensive’ is a loose word used in Section 66 A (IT Act),” Deshmukh stated in her online line petition to the Prime Minister, seeking an amendment to this section.
In a related development, the Palghar police arrested 10 Sena activists, including local unit head Bhushan Sankye, in connection with the vandalisation of a private hospital owned by Shaheen’s uncle on Sunday. They were on Tuesday produced before a local court which granted them bail against a personal bond of Rs 7,500 each.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Konkan Range Sukhvindar Singh began his inquiry into the circumstances leading to the arrest of Shaheen and Renu.
As part of the inquiry ordered by the State DGP Sanjeev Dayal on Monday, he visited the Palghar police station on Tuesday.
With no let-up in public outrage over the arrest of two young women for a Facebook posting against the shutdown in Mumbai for Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s funeral, a social activist on Tuesday moved the state women’s body against the arrest, while a Pune-based RTI based activist demanded an amendment to a “draconian” IT Act provision.
On a day when the Palghar police arrested ten Sena activists in connection with the vandalisation of a private hospital owned by the uncle of an affected woman, activist Abha Singh - wife of IPS officer-turned-lawyer YP Singh -lodged a complaint with the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) alleging human rights violation in the arrest of two women over a Facebook posting.
Simultaneously, Pune-based RTI activist Vinita Deshmukh launched an online petition urging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take immediate steps to amend the “draconian’ Section 66A of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 to ensure against misuse.
Abha Singh urged the MSCW officials to visit the Palghar police station, inspect the station diaries and probe the circumstances leading to the arrest of two women.
Shaheen and Renu, both aged 21, were arrested on Monday for a posting against the shutdown of Mumbai over Thackeray’s death. While Shaheen posted the original message, Renu “liked” the posting. After an initial refusal, Shaheen posted an apology under pressure of the local Shiv Sena activists. Despite Shaheen’s apology, the Sena activists vandalised her uncle’s private hospital.
Both Shaheen and Renu have been charged under Section 505 (2) of the IPC (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between the classes) and Section 66A of IT (Amendment) Act, 2008 (sending false and offensive messages through communication services). Both the offences prescribe a punishment of imprisonment extending up to three years each. While the IPC Section entails imprisonment or with fine, or with both, the IT section prescribes imprisonment with fine.
“The manner in which the women were arrested clearly indicates that there has been gross violation of human rights as well as Supreme Court directives for affecting arrests,” Abha Singh said.
“The two women had not committed any offence at all and it appears that the police had acted under the pressure of local politicians. The liberty of the two girls was seriously breached just because they were invoking their fundamental rights guaranteed by article 19 of the Constitution,” Abha Singh stated.
In her online petition, Deshmukh alluded to the arrest of a Pondicherry-based businessman S Ravi under 66 A of IT (Amendment) Act for posting “offensive” tweets against Karti Chidambaram, son of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and said: “Politicians and Police are using this Section now to harass citizens”.
“Section 66A of the IT Act passed by the UPA government in 2008 is very draconian in nature. It says that anyone posting an `offensive’’ message in the social media or through electronic media. `Offensive’ is a loose word used in Section 66 A (IT Act),” Deshmukh stated in her online line petition to the Prime Minister, seeking an amendment to this section.
In a related development, the Palghar police arrested 10 Sena activists, including local unit head Bhushan Sankye, in connection with the vandalisation of a private hospital owned by Shaheen’s uncle on Sunday. They were on Tuesday produced before a local court which granted them bail against a personal bond of Rs 7,500 each.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Konkan Range Sukhvindar Singh began his inquiry into the circumstances leading to the arrest of Shaheen and Renu.
As part of the inquiry ordered by the State DGP Sanjeev Dayal on Monday, he visited the Palghar police station on Tuesday.
