Congress slams Assam government’s use of NSA against land rights activist

The HinduIndependentProgressive8 hr. ago

The Indian National Congress criticized the BJP-led Assam government for using the National Security Act (NSA) to detain land rights activist Pranab Doley after he was granted bail. Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh accused the state government of misusing preventive detention laws to suppress dissent, citing Doley's involvement in protests against a proposed resort near Kaziranga National Park. The activist's arrest followed a district court's bail order that emphasized the intersection of ecological preservation and indigenous rights. Ramesh argued that the NSA was being used to undermine judicial decisions and highlighted a broader trend of BJP governments employing such laws to silence critics, referencing similar cases in Uttar Pradesh. He called for adherence to the rule of law and warned against the misuse of preventive detention.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the Assam government's use of the NSA as an overt suppression of dissent and criticizes the BJP for employing 'extraordinary laws' to silence critics. It highlights the misuse of legal tools to counter democratic activism, aligning with left-leaning critiques of authoritarianism.

Hindustan TimesIndependentProgressive9 hr. ago

Pranab Doley, a land rights activist in Assam, was initially arrested on July 12 for protesting a proposed luxury hotel near Kaziranga National Park. After being granted bail on July 29, he was rearrested under the National Security Act (NSA) on July 30. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the Assam BJP government for using the NSA to detain Doley, calling it a misuse of preventive detention laws. Ramesh argued that the arrest was part of a broader pattern by BJP governments of using such laws to suppress dissent, citing similar incidents in Uttar Pradesh. The NSA order claims Doley’s activities threatened public order and state security, citing past police cases and allegations of foreign funding. However, the sessions court had previously noted that there was no evidence of deadly weapons among the protesters.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the use of the National Security Act (NSA) by the Assam BJP government as a 'blatant misuse' of preventive detention laws and criticizes it as part of a 'familiar script' of the Modi government. The framing emphasizes the suppression of dissent and highlights the actions of theBJP