Himachal Youth Congress Leader Arrested for Writing Slogans Against PM Modi on Public Walls

Nahan: An office bearer of Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress was arrested here after some derogatory slogans against the prime minister were found on walls in the heart of the town, police said.

State Secretary of Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress Om Prakash Thakur was later released on bail, Sirmour Assistant Superintendent of Police Virender Singh Thakur told PTI on Saturday.

An FIR was lodged under Section 124 A of IPC (sedition) and other offences against Om Prakash on Friday, following which he was arrested, sparking protests by the Youth Congress outfit which alleged that the police were acting under pressure from the ruling BJP.

Sirmaur Superintendent of Police Rohit Malpani said that the sedition offence was later dropped from the FIR registered at Nahan police station against Om Prakash.

However Section 426 of IPC (mischief) and relevant sections of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act have been added in the FIR, he added.

Om Prakash wrote objectionable comments against the prime minister on the public walls of Mehlat, Mahima library and Shimla road areas in Nahan on Thursday midnight but his image was captured in the CCTV cameras, he added.

Youth Congress workers led by its state president Manish Thakur assembled at Congress Bhawan and took out a protest march. They went to the office of Superintendent of Police, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government and the local BJP MLA.

Protesters also demanded an immediate release of their leader and withdrawal of the case.

Manish Thakur hit out at police, accusing it of working "under pressure from BJP leaders". He alleged that in every part of the state workers of Youth Congress were being harassed for raising the voice of dissent.

Youth Congress workers also took out a protest march in Sangrah and submitted a memorandum to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, demanding the immediate release of their leader.

Assistant Superintendent of Police, Sirmour, Virender Singh Thakur said the investigation in the matter is continuing.

Meanwhile, District BJP President Viney Gupta and several other party functionaries condemned the incident of writing objectional slogans on public walls and demanded strict action against the culprit.

Nahan is about 86 km from state capital Shimla.