SHILLONG, Oct 24: The Congress has accused the government of suppressing dissent following the CJP protest, citing reports of detentions and the suspension of Instagram accounts, including those belonging to media outlets.
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) secretary Manuel Badwar criticised the government’s response, alleging that the measures were aimed at silencing voices questioning the authorities. He questioned why people seeking to express their grievances were being subjected to restrictions instead of being allowed to exercise their democratic rights.
Badwar said the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression were fundamental to democracy, arguing that restricting public dissent would neither resolve grievances nor address the concerns prompting people to take to the streets.
He questioned where citizens were expected to turn if they were denied the opportunity to express their concerns through democratic means, warning that such restrictions could deepen public frustration rather than ease tensions.
The Congress leader also expressed concern over reports of Instagram accounts belonging to news outlets being suspended, saying such developments raised questions about freedom of expression and the ability of media organisations to communicate information to the public. The specific grounds for the reported suspensions and the legal basis for the detentions were not detailed in his remarks.
Placing the developments in a wider national context, Badwar alleged that democratic institutions were increasingly coming under the influence of the ruling establishment. Drawing comparisons with Russia and China, he warned that the suppression of dissent could undermine democratic values and institutions.
He maintained that a democratic government should be able to accommodate criticism and peaceful protest rather than resort to measures that could silence opposing voices. He also warned that public dissatisfaction over restrictions on democratic expression could have political consequences at the ballot box.
The specific circumstances surrounding the reported detentions and Instagram account suspensions were not independently established in the information available for this report.