Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday called the arrest of Gujarat Samachar newspaper owner Bahubali Shah a “conspiracy against all democratic voices”.
The Enforcement Directorate late on Thursday arrested Shah, who co-owns the influential newspaper with his brother, Shreyansh. Reportedly, the ED arrested the media baron in a Sebi case that dates back to 2016.
“The attempts to silence Gujarat Samachar is not about just one newspaper, but a conspiracy against all democratic voices,” Rahul wrote on his social media in Hindi. “When newspapers that show the mirror to the authority get shut down, it implies democracy is in danger.”
He added: “The arrest of Bahubali Shah is a part of the politics of fear which has become the identity of the Narendra Modi government. The country won't be run by fear or sticks but truth and the Constitution. “
Gujarat Congress leader Jignesh Mevani called the arrest “extremely shameful”.
“The ED today arrested the owner of Gujarat's biggest newspaper Gujarat Samachar, Tantri Bahubali Shah, which is extremely shameful! We stand with Gujarat Samachar! This act has been done with the intention of taking revenge for the way this newspaper has criticised Modi Shah's policies for the last 25 years!” Mevani wrote on his social media along with a video.
The arrest follows ED and income tax raids at the offices and homes of the Shah brothers.
Sheela Bhatt, veteran Gujarati journalist and Editors Guild of India member, wrote on X: “This is a serious step taken by the government. The reasons of arrests are not clear, yet. After the arrest Bahubalibhai was taken to government run V.S. Hospital for check up, his health condition deteriorated so he was rushed to Zydus hospital. Right now, Shreyanshbhai is attending to Bahubalibhai in Zydus hospital. Shreyanshbhai told media persons that they will ‘keep on fighting.’ Both brothers have varied business interests besides publication of Gujarat Samachar. Shreyanshbhai is considered one of the sharpest political brains in Gujarat.”
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had flagged what it called the ED’s “pattern” of making allegations against individuals.
“We have seen a number of complaints of ED. This is the pattern – just make allegations without any reference to anything,” Justice Abhay Oka had orally observed during the hearing of the bail plea of a money-laundering accused in the Rs. 2,000-crore Chhattisgarh liquor scam.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took to X to say, “It appears the raid on Gujarat’smost prominent newspaper Gujarat Samachar and the arrest of the company’s director Bahubali Shah is an attempt to snatch the voice of the people. Does the BJP government does not want any opposition, any media or anyone else to raise the voice for the people? They should remember India is a Constitutional democracy and the voice of the people cannot be trampled.”
