A protest was organized in Patna on 22 May against the charging and arrest of renowned historian Prof Ratanlal (subsequently released on bail after people's protests) and cases against Prof Ravikant and filmmaker Avinash Das. The protest was held under the joint banners of AIPF, AISA, RYA and Jan Sanskriti Manch.
The program was attended by a large number of people including AIARLA General Secretary Dhirendra Jha, senior CPIML leader KD Yadav, AIPWA State Secretary Shashi Yadav, CPIML leader Prakash Kumar, Tempo Union leader Murtaza Ali, labour leader Rambali Prasad, JASAM leaders Rajesh Kamal, Prashant Viplavi, Anil Anshuman and Pramod Yadav, Anu (CORUS), AISA leaders Vikas Kumar and Kumar Divyam, RYA leader Vinay Kumar, Puneet Pathak, Santosh Arya and Nishant Kumar. The program was conducted by AIPF leader Kamlesh Sharma. The speakers said that Prof Ratanlal was arrested for a Facebook post on the Gyanvapi case. But what was the post? It was, after all, a post that brought out the truth as opposed to the Sangh brigade's lies and hate-mongering. Filmmaker Avinash Das was charged because he shared a picture of Home Minister Amit Shah with corrupt Jharkhand official Pooja Singhal. In short, those who spread lies and hatred are given free licence, while those who speak truth are being persecuted. An all-round movement is needed to counter this fascist agenda of the BJP and save the Constitution and democratic rights.
