Amaravati: The YSR Congress Party on Tuesday claimed that as many as 86 cases have been filed against its social media activists during the past three days.
The opposition party, in a press statement, said the activists have been vocal about government shortcomings on social media and alleged that they are being targeted with false cases and subjected to police harassment.
In a troubling trend, YSRCP activists, including farmers and social media coordinators, have faced arrests often without notice, the party said.
“The crackdown extends beyond individual cases, with arrests reported across multiple districts based on complaints by TDP members. For example, 61 cases have been registered in NTR District alone, alongside cases in Srikakulam, Nellore, West Godavari, and several others,” it stated.
The social media activists from these regions have been accused of “tarnishing the government’s image,” a vague allegation often used to justify arrests, the party added.
The release stated that YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took a stand against the detention of social media activists, calling it a violation of fundamental rights and a direct assault on the Constitution.
He condemned the arrests as politically motivated, allegedly influenced by TDP leaders, the party claimed.
When contacted, Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh, without specifying any numbers, told PTI that there may be instances where some individuals have been picked up by the police for objectionable postings on social media.
“We will show them what the law is. How can we keep quiet when there are objectionable posts on social media? We will follow what the law says in dealing with these cases,” the DGP stated.
