Romila Thapar

“The arrest of five human rights activists is aimed at silencing dissent and instilling fear in the minds of the people.”

Sambit Patra, BJP

“This is a matter of sadness that Rahul Gandhi ji considers Naxalites human rights activists. People who have shed the blood of others, how can they be human rights activists.”

Manish Tewari, Congress

"It is incumbent upon the government to put in public space as to what are the reasons as to why these arrests (of human rights activists) have taken place. Otherwise, these multi-city arrests can only be characterized as witch-hunt and as vendetta."

Shashi Tharoor, Congress

"I have no sympathy whatsoever for Maoism but freedom of thought, belief and expression are fundamental rights in any democracy. To arrest activists who have neither committed nor facilitated violence is to betray our democracy. This is not the India that Gandhiji fought to free."

Sitaram Yechury, CPM

"There will be a protest at Jantar Mantar (Delhi) tomorrow by the Left and all progressive groups against the unethical crackdown."

Sharad Pawar, NCP

"Those who have been arrested and at least I can say in my home state, I know some of them, and they are activists. It's a very unfortunate thing that the government and the police authority are arresting them in the name of association with the Naxalite movement."

Hansraj Ahir, MoS Home

"It's not right to demoralize police. Bhima-Koregaon violence was a serious blow to our nation and Constitution. The plot of igniting caste tensions is out in open now and police are taking action. Courts are there and if they think they're innocent, then they can seek bail."

Yashwant Sinha

"Arrest of activists shows 'emergency-like' conditions prevailing in the country."

Lalu Yadav, RJD chief

This country is moving towards dictatorship. The arrests of the five intellectuals show that the country is moving towards emergency and I condemn it."

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)

"Arrests of activists who fight in court against the oppression of Dalits, Tribals and backward communities in the nation, to spread terror and fear of the government, is autocracy and utmost exploitation of power by BJP."

Deepak Kesarkar, MoS Home, Maharashtra

"Unless police have proof it doesn't take action when there is proof Court gives police custody. Clear that the government has evidence and secondly how can they support Naxalism. These people follow their own government, is it good for democracy?"

Jignesh Mevani, MLA Gujarat

"#NoMoreFakeCharges stop the nonsense of calling one of the finest human rights activists, lawyers and writers of this country urban Naxalites. This is beyond bizarre."

