Jairam Ramesh targets Centre over VanDyke’s release, cites arrests of protesters

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday questioned the Centre over “liberty being extended” to US national Matthew VanDyke, who has been accused of terrorism. He said that this was happening when the Narendra Modi-led government was not hesitating in detaining and arresting young activists and peace protestors during the recent and ongoing anti-CEC and anti-Vote Chori protests.

“US national Matthew VanDyke, arrested for conspiring to carry out terrorist activities against India, was released yesterday and allowed to return home for 4 months. Why has such liberty been extended to a foreign national accused of terrorism? This even as the government has shown no hesitation in detaining and arresting youth activists and peaceful protesters during the anti-Vote Chori protests this past month,” Ramesh posted on X. Ramesh pointed out that this was raised during US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s May visit to India and the latter’s scheduled visit to the country this week. (ANI)