Amaravati (IANS) | The sedition charge against a rebel MP of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh is the best example of why the state registered the highest number of cases in the country under section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in 2021. .
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Andhra Pradesh tops the list of states with highest number of sedition cases in 2021.
The southern state registered 29 sedition cases out of a total of 76 registered in the country during that year. Manipur and Nagaland were second with seven cases each.
Andhra Pradesh is among the five states with the highest number of sedition cases between 2014 and 2021. The state recorded 32 cases during this period.
NCRB data shows that only three cases of sedition were registered in the state from 2014 to 2018. No cases under section 124A of IPC were registered in the state in 2019 and 2020.
The YSRCP government led by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has come under fire for leveling sedition charges against political opponents, critics and even media organisations.
Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu says the sedition case is part of the Jagan government’s autocratic strategy to silence all dissenting voices in the state.
The cases registered in 2021 include one against rebel MP Raghu Rama Krishna Raju of the ruling party for his remarks against Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. Two Telugu news channels were also booked for sedition for airing the MP’s views.
The CID registered sections 124(A) (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.), 505 (causing public mischief) against Raju, a Lok Sabha member from Narasapuram. A case was registered under 120B (criminal conspiracy).
According to the CID, there was information against Raju that he was involved in hate speeches against certain communities and promoting disaffection against the government.
A preliminary inquiry was ordered by ADG CID PV Sunil Kumar IPS. It was found that Raju was involved in a systematic, planned effort to create tension between communities through his speeches and attacks on various government dignitaries in a manner that would cause harm. The CID had said, they have faith in the government they represent. There is also hate speech against communities and social groups, which was used in the conspiracy to promote social and public order disturbances.
Raju was arrested from his residence in Hyderabad on May 14, 2021 and was transferred to the regional office of the CID in Guntur the same day.
The MP who underwent heart bypass surgery approached the Supreme Court alleging that he was tortured in police custody.
However, the state government had rejected the allegation of police torture and defended its action of registering an FIR against the MP.
The State Government said, this is not a one-time slip or error of judgment, but the statement (by Raju) was made deliberately in furtherance of the design and conspiracy hatched by several persons including the petitioner to create unrest on the basis of caste and religion. People are divided and given. In doing so, Raju abused his authority and attempted to create enmity between different sections of citizens and incite discontent against the government.
The affidavit further states that being a Member of Parliament does not confer any immunity on the petitioner. On the contrary, being an elected representative to the Lok Sabha, the petitioner has a high degree of responsibility.
In his petition, Raju claimed that his right to criticize the government is part of his fundamental right to freedom of expression. But the state government argued that such authority cannot be extended to create a situation where public order is disturbed.
The state government said the arrest was not a sudden reaction. The words and actions of the petitioner MP were manifesting in actual violence across the state. Then the state decided to register an FIR.
The Supreme Court later granted bail to Raju, noting that his medical examination reports indicated that he may have been ill-treated in custody. The court had also asked him to cooperate in the investigation.
The action against the MP came after he openly criticized the government’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis and also sought cancellation of the bail granted to Jagan Mohan Reddy in a corruption case.
The MP alleged that a case has been registered against him in a spirit of revenge.
Raju wonders how a sedition case can be filed against him for speaking out against the government’s misrule and corruption.
He said that the Supreme Court has already said that the section related to sedition is useless and should be scrapped.
