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NEW DELHI, August 28: Author and historian Ramachandra Guha today lashed out at the government over the countrywide raids and arrest of activists, calling it a "brutal, authoritarian, oppressive, arbitrary. illegal act" by the Maharashtra police. Speaking to NDTV after the arrest of five well-known activists and intellectuals, Mr Guha blamed it on the "corporate cronies of the ruling government," who, he said, were bent on grabbing tribal land, forest and mineral resources. The arrest of the activists was meant to take away the only representation the tribals have, he said.

Through the day, the Pune police had conducted raids on the homes of nine activists across five cities, which ended with the arrest of five - Varavara Rao, lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj, and activists Arun Fereira, Gautam Navlakha and Vernon Gonsalves. The police said the arrests were linked to last year's Bhima Koregaon violence, in which Dalit activists had clashed with upper-caste Marathas.

In June, five people -- Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson and Shoma Sen -- were arrested for allegedly making "provocative" speeches at an event in at Bhima Koregaon village in January, which, the police said, triggered violence. Today's raids were carried out on basis of what they said during interrogation, the police said.

Mr Guha told NDTV that he knew some of those arrested and while he did not always agreed with them, he knew that they "never themselves preached or practiced violence".  

"But these are people who represent the country's disenfranchised and the dispossessed," he said. "What is happening in the adivasi heartland of india... it is murder, rape, physical, natural, social... and these were the lawyers representing the tribals...  and their arrest leaves those dispossessed unrepresented in court," he added.

Intellectuals and professionals including author Arundhati Roy and Indira Jaising have criticized the arrests in harsh terms. Earlier today, Indira Jaising tweeted: "One day there will be no one left to defend the rule of law,one day there will be no rule of law left to defend."

Ms Roy, in a statement, compared the arrests to the 1975 Emergency. "It is as close to a declaration of an Emergency as we will ever get," read a statement from the Booker-prize winning author.

Mr Guha, however said, he needed to make his stand clear. "The witch hunt against activists was was started by Congress, this government taking it further," the historian had added.

Courtesy: ndtv.com




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Several users on ‘X’ on Thursday and Friday shared claims that LPG cylinders booked at 11:45 AM were being delivered within just two hours, prompting humorous and curious reactions online. 

Meanwhile netizens quickly responded to the sudden similar bookings by many users.

One ‘X’ user tweeted, “Booked a Bharat Gas LPG cylinder at 11:45 AM today and it was delivered at my doorstep by 1:30 PM. Without any extra cash or charges. I asked the delivery guy if there was any shortage. His reply was negative. This copy is circulating 👇.”

Another user questioned the timing, asking, “How can all book at the same time?” while a separate post wondered, “Why is everyone booking LPG at 11:45 AM?”

Many netizens joked about the posts. One wrote, “Everyone is booking LPG gas cylinders at 11:45 AM, and surprisingly it’s getting delivered in two hours. IT cell has some special gas agency. Is it LPG or Naale ka Gas?” 

One urged, “Please tell these hundreds of people to book at 11:45 AM too,” sharing a photo of people standing in ques.

“Booked an Indane Gas LPG cylinder at 11:46 AM today and it wasnt delivered at my doorstep by 2:30 PM. I asked the delivery guy, why didn't he deliver. He replied cylinders were delivered only to people who booked exactly at 11:45 AM,” wrote another. 

 

One user asked, “What was the auspicious occasion to book at 11:45 AM?” while another tweeted, “I am going to book a gas cylinder at 11:45 AM tomorrow, hope Modi Ji will deliver it by 1:30.”

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