Anti-Modi poster row: AAP takes responsibility

New Delhi: Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party Sunday took responsibility for the posters across Delhi criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vaccination drive, which had led to multiple arrests by the Delhi Police, according to ThePrint report.

AAP leader Durgesh Pathak confirmed that the posters were put up by the party members. "We have got these posters out across Delhi and I want to ask Modi's Delhi Police that how can you arrest people for putting up some posters in a democracy like ours?"

Pathak added: "If you still wish to arrest people, then please arrest me and not innocent poor people. The whole country is in fact asking why were vaccines meant for our kids sent to other countries — to Pakistan — and not saved for our own kids."

In the past few days, several posters criticising PM Modi's vaccination strategy had surfaced across the national capital. The posters read: "Modiji humare bachon ki vaccine videsh kyu bhej diya (Modiji, why did you send vaccines of our children to foreign countries?)".

In response, the Delhi Police registered 25 cases in the matter under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, read with sections of the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and Press and Registration of Books Act.

The police had arrested 25 people in connection with the case, most of whom are auto rickshaw drivers, shop owners, daily wage labourers and unemployed people. All the accused were able to secure bail.

While the police claim that the FIRs were registered according to the law, legal experts pointed out that the law was being misused by them. Senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "I wonder how many walls of Delhi the police has thought of cleaning, except those where PM Modi is criticised.

In fact this defence of Delhi Police conclusively proves the case against them. "The larger issue is the intolerant and obstinate approach of this government.

Ignore the message, don't take corrective action on the message, let things become uncontrollable, but always shoot the messenger, also shows lack of democratic spirit, at the heart of which lies magnanimity and a capacious mind, both of which are anathema to this government and the ruling party," the Rajya Sabha MP said.