Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar MLA Jitendra Awhad arrived in handcuffs at the Vidhan Bhavan complex in Mumbai on the first day of the Maharashtra legislature's budget session on Monday to highlight 'growing attack' on freedom of expression and protest the deportation of illegal immigrants from the United States.
The former state minister criticised the way undocumented Indians were treated by American authorities during their deportation.
Speaking to reporters at the Vidhan Bhavan complex in south Mumbai, Awhad said, "There is a growing attack on freedom of expression in this country. Activists and individuals who speak out are being silenced by implicating them in criminal cases. Our constitutional right to express ourselves is under threat. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right, and everyone must be able to speak."
The opposition MLA criticised visa policies of the US, alleging they have destroyed the lives of many Indians.
"The restrictive visa rules are breaking families apart. Recently, we witnessed Indian immigrants being deported in large numbers crammed into planes, shackled, and treated like criminals. Many of them were forced to endure long flights without proper restroom facilities and on empty stomachs. This is an inhuman act and insulting to our people. Several families from Maharashtra were affected, and dreams of young Indians aspiring to build a future in America were shattered," he said.
Awhad warned that failing to speak up against such injustices would be detrimental to India.
"If we remain silent about the injustices faced by our fellow Indians abroad, it will set a dangerous precedent. America will continue to exploit and mistreat us. I have worn these shackles as a symbolic protest to highlight the suffering of our brothers and sisters in the US. I urge every Indian to raise their voice against these human rights violations," he asserted.
Replying to questions, Awhad said it has been proved that Walmik Karad, a close aide of state minister Dhananjay Munde, is an accused in the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case.
"Are there morals and ethics left when your close aide is cruel and inhuman?" he asked, hitting out at Munde.
Massajog village sarpanch Deshmukh was abducted and brutally killed on December 9 last year in Beed district when he tried to stop an extortion bid on an energy company.
Reacting to Awhad's act of coming to the Vidhan Bhavan complex in handcuffs, ruling NCP's state spokesperson Anand Paranjpe said it was nothing but a stunt.
NCP-SP MPs should protest in the Lok Sabha to highlight a foreign policy issue, he said.
The spokesperson wondered how can Awhad say there was no freedom of expression when he is regularly covered in the media.
"Such a stunt is unfortunate. During the protest not a single MLA of his party was present," he maintained.
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