Economist Jean Dreze, along with two other ‘Right to Food’ activists were detained by Jharkhand police on Thursday in Bishunpura where they were holding a public greviance meeting. The meeting was organized to address and resolve issues related to ration and pension.
Jean, Vivek Kumar and Anuj Kumar were detained over not having police permission for the meeting. The trio had sought police permission but were unaware whether the request was granted or not.
“We had applied on March 22 to Pradeep Kumar, SDO, Garhwa District, for permission. Later they had asked us to provide details such as the Aadhaar card of the head organiser. We had furnished all that was asked for but were never intimated anything,” Vivek Kumar, said in a statement. Kumar also stated that the police stopped the meeting and took Jean Dreze and others into custody.
According to the latest information from local sources, the trio was released after four hours of detention. Dreze is a well known activist and economist who advocates right to food. The Belgian-born development economist co-authored Hunger and Public Action, which focused on the problem of hunger in the modern world.
Post his arrest, netizens addressed the news and shared posts on social media.
World renowned economist & social activist Jean Dreze & 2 others have been arrested by the BJP govt. in Jharkhand for daring to hold a meeting on Right to Food. In a state with so many hunger deaths, you’d expect the govt to be more receptive to help. https://t.co/ivXgtOK4q9
— Congress (@INCIndia) March 28, 2019
India arrests a Belgium-born economist and activist, Jean Dreze, apparently for organizing a meeting on the right to food. You read that correctly – Arrested for fighting hunger. https://t.co/KammeB8svP #JeanDreze
— Audrey Truschke (@AudreyTruschke) March 28, 2019
Now we’re arresting economists? For organising a meeting on the right to food? I can only hope that Jean Dreze, Vivek and others will be released immediately. https://t.co/6zaCAsqbhE
— Nilanjana Roy (@nilanjanaroy) March 28, 2019
Shocking beyond words!
Jean Dreze is a saint-economist, a potential Nobel awardee who lived in slums, written and done more for the poor than any economist, shunned all power and glory, took up Indian citizenship, is a pacifist.
Nothing can be more shameful than arresting him. https://t.co/KagTeBhFV8
— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) March 28, 2019
Renowned economist& Co-author of several books with Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, Jean Dreze is arrested with 2 other activists in Jharkhand for organizing a meeting on Right to Food! This while goons who beat up Muslim family in Gurgaon roam free& PM tomtoms 2012 DRDO achievement! https://t.co/aCVMcQOUK9
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) March 28, 2019
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