Renowned economist Jean Dreze and two other Right to Food activists, who were allegedly detained by Jharkhand police on Thursday, have been released without any charges. Reportedly, Dreze and the two others were arrested near Garhwa in western Jharkhand for organising a meeting without permission.
However, the district administration and police described that arrest as a "misunderstanding" and said they were released without any kind of interrogation, reported FirstPost. At the same time, it would conduct an investigation into the matter, the district administration said. Dreze, along with activists Anuj Gupta and Vivek, were holding a meeting on Right to Food "without permission" when the Model Code of Conduct was in the place, the administration said.
According to reports, the arrested were taken to Vishnupura police station.
A renowned economist, Jean Dreze has also co-authored several books with Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen. Further details are awaited.
Meanwhile, Dreze's arrest has sparked off outrage on Twitter among the likes of social activists like Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan.
Aint these qualities enough to be arrested in #NewIndia ?
— SunandaSSinha (@SunandaSSinha) March 28, 2019
Above these, Jean Dreze was organizing a seditious meeting on #RightToFood...
At a time when #Chowkidar Ji is working extra hours to feed his hungry crony capitalist friends! #IndiaWithNaMo https://t.co/SPuZxxJX2Q
Shocking beyond words!
— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) March 28, 2019
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
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
The arrest of #JeanDreze is a travesty. I can understand JNU riff-raffs facing problems with the law, but not a potential Nobel prize winner fighting hunger who has lived in slums to learn about poverty. Why does this remind me of the Emergency?
— Madhavan Narayanan (@madversity) March 28, 2019
