UP: An elderly Muslim citizen has been arrested in the city of Meerut, located in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, after he referred to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “goons” during a televised interview. The incident has reignited concerns over the treatment of religious minorities and the suppression of dissent in the country.
According to local police, the nonagenarian, identified as Ehsan, made the remarks while speaking to a local news channel. During the interview, which was recorded and later circulated online, Ehsan allegedly stated that Prime Minister Modi is the “biggest goon” and called for all of them to be prosecuted.
The situation escalated when Ehsan also addressed the issue of nationalistic slogans. “He said that he is asked to recite Vande Mataram, but for him, Allah is the greatest,” a police official said, citing the complaint.
Approximately 24 hours after the interview aired, police arrested Ehsan. Authorities have not yet released the specific legal sections under which he has been charged, but similar cases in the past have included charges of insulting religious sentiments or promoting enmity between groups.
The arrest is the latest in a series of legal actions taken in recent years against individuals who criticize government figures or policies in India. Rights groups and opposition parties have frequently accused the administration of Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Adityanath’s government of using sedition laws and other penal codes to silence dissent.
Domestic human rights organizations have noted a pattern of increasing action against Muslims and other minorities, often for statements made in private conversations or public forums. Internationally, such incidents have drawn strong reactions from the United Nations, the European Union, and free-speech advocacy groups, who have repeatedly called on New Delhi to uphold constitutional guarantees of equality and freedom of expression.
As of press time, the Meerut police had not issued a detailed statement on the matter, and attempts to reach legal counsel for Ehsan were unsuccessful. Critics argue that Modi’s actions against Muslims and other minorities in India have not diminished, pointing to the swift arrest of the elderly man as the latest evidence of a continuing crackdown.
