Teesta Setalvad Detained in Varanasi, Police Say Order Came from Higher Ranks

On her way to participate in Samajwadi Jan Parishad youth training programme in Rajghat, civil rights activist and journalist Teesta Setalvad was detained near Varanasi airport on Monday. “Had come for a programme on youth training but all I have been hearing since morning is are you going to BHU?” she said on Facebook and added that the programme she came to participate was planned two months ago. She said that the Varanasi Police are stifling her democratic rights and questioned how can the police stop an ordinary citizen from free movement.

In a Facebook live, speaking from the detained premises- Police Lines, she said “I don’t know whether I have been preventively detained or whether I’m arrested but my physical movement has been stopped,” while claiming that she was not even served with any formal notice that explained the police action. She added that the District Magistrate Sunil Verma had told her that he had received orders from higher ranks to have her arrested.

The police have asked Setalvad to sign an undertaking that she will not visit Banaras Hindu University (BHU) which she denied to do on a point of principle. She maintained that as a citizen she was free to move around and visit any place she liked.

Varanasi has been in news since last week as students of BHU were protesting against an incident of molestation followed by lathi-charge by Uttar Pradesh police on them. It is reported that a First Information Report was filed against 1,000 students of BHU for arson on Monday.

On Sunday, reportedly leaders from political parties were arrested when they were trying to reach the troubled University.

Meanwhile, BHU has issued a notice that the campus will stay shut till October 2 as a precautionary measure following the ongoing turmoil.