Indian Government Arrests Political Rivals before Election

Indian investigators have carried out raids against people linked with rights activists in India’s capital. With the general election only 2 months away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been criticized for targeting political opposition.

The Indian government has been carrying out arrests on Modi’s critics on charges that have been claimed to be bogus. Two of these such opponents are Harsh Mander and Hemant Soren. Mander has long been a harsh critic of Modi and his BJP for their Hindu nationalism. Soren recently resigned from his role as Chief Minister of Jharkhand state, and was arrested immediately after his resignation.

Both of these individuals have claimed the charges against them are false, as the central government looks to crack down on opposition. These examples are a few among many instances of the Indian government looking to suppress political opposition in the build up to India’s general election.

Critics have stated that all investigative agencies are under the control of the state, which is why so many opposition members are being investigated and arrested now. In addition to this, many rights activists are also being jailed under laws against terrorism, which are being used to arbitrarily arrest those who speak out against Modi’s administration.