Economist Jean Dreze briefly taken into custody in Jharkhand for poll code violation
Noted economist Jean Dreze and another person were Thursday taken into preventive custody for violating the model code of conduct by organising a meeting without permission in Jharkhand's Garhwa district, police said.
By : migrator
Update: 2019-03-28 13:15 GMT
Ranchi
The Belgian-born Indian economist and activist, and two others, were taken into custody when they were holding a public meeting in Vishunpur market of Garwah.
According to police, holding any public meeting without permission is violation of the Model Code of Conduct in place after the Lok Sabha election were announced.
The meeting, in which Dreze was invited as the main speaker, was organised by a social organisation.
"The organisers had sought permission but they did not provide the name of the main speaker. The district administration did not give permission for the public meeting for this reason," Sub Divisional Officer Kamleshwar Narayan told reporters.
Dreze, who was a member of the National Advisory Council headed by Sonia Gandhi during the erstwhile UPA regime, and Vivek Gupta, an activist, were eventually released, they added.
According to reports, Dreze was in the police custody for two hours before being released.
Terming the event a "peaceful and non-political meeting", Dreze said: "Understanding of democracy is shrinking. Gradually, all freedom being curbed."
"Dreze and Gupta were taken into preventive custody for organising a programme without taking permission which violated model code of conduct in operation now," Bishanpura police station in-charge Vijay Kumar Singh said.
They were set free after an investigation, he said.
Dreze is a specialist in Development Economics and had helped draft the food law.
(With inputs from IANS)
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