NEW DELHI: Left parties on Tuesday hit out at the Union government over the arrest of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, asking it how those who spread hate are free, and someone who exposes them is behind bars.
The parties have demanded his immediate release.
"Hate-mongers of the right are getting patronage from rulers. So-called fringe elements who brought disrepute to the country are being protected."
"Young journalists like Mohammed Zubair, who are working to protect the scientific temper of the country are behind bars. Condemnable!" said CPI general secretary D Raja on Twitter.
Fact-checking website Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair was arrested by the Delhi Police on Monday allegedly for hurting religious sentiments through one of his tweets, officials said.
Alt News co-founder Pratik Sinha alleged that Zubair was arrested in a case for which no notice was given by the police, which is mandatory under law for the sections under which he has been held.
"Nupur 'fringe' Sharma roams free on the fringe away from the 'reach' of the state. Mohammed Zubair who brought her hate speech to the notice of the world is at the centre of the regime's action," tweeted Dipankar Bhattarcharya, general secretary, CPI-Marxist-Leninist.
Zubair on Monday joined the probe in a case registered against him in connection with another tweet in 2020.
During the investigation, the Delhi Police had given a status report, in which that tweet was not found to be objectionable.
His subsequent tweets, however, were found to be questionable and derogatory, the police said, adding that in the investigation of FIR number 194/20, Zubair was examined earlier and the probe is about to be concluded.
"Release @zoo_bear immediately. The Modi government is insecure & threatened by anything that exposes the fake hate machine of misinformation," said CPI-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury in a tweet.
Meanwhile, BJP said Zubair was a "jihadi" who incited violence, and slammed the opposition for its criticism of the government over the arrest.
Hitting back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his attack on the BJP following the arrest, BJP general secretary CT Ravi tweeted, "This Incompetent Dynast did not protest the arrest of a Marathi Actress for a simple Facebook post by the Fascist MVA Government in Maharashtra. He kept his mouth shut when women & children were raped in Rajasthan. But he is shedding tears for a Jihadi who incited violence!"
Lending support to the jailed journalist, Gandhi had tweeted, "Every person exposing BJP's hate, bigotry and lies is a threat to them. Arresting one voice of truth will only give rise to a thousand more. Truth ALWAYS triumphs over tyranny."
BJP secretary Y Satya Kumar also targeted the former Congress chief over the latter's criticism of the central government in this regard.
"Arrest a Jihadi, hate monger, vandal and the first voice to be raised in favour of them will be that of Congress. But these people will maintain a stoic silence when Hindus get slaughtered by jihadis in their ruled states. These wokes are not going to learn anything," he wrote on Twitter.
A body of digital news media organisations on Monday condemned the arrest of Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair and asked the Delhi Police to withdraw the case against him immediately.
"In a democracy, where every individual possesses the right to exercise the freedom of speech and expression, it is unjustifiable that such stringent laws are being used as tools against journalists, who have been accorded the role of playing watchdog against the misuse of institutions of the state," a statement by DIGIPUB said.
DIGIPUB urges the Delhi Police to withdraw the case immediately.
"The use of such stringent laws being used as tools against journalists who are considered the fourth pillar of democracy must be stopped. We stand with Zubair," it said.