Delhi Police on overdrive to protect PM’s ‘dignity’, protesters see witch hunt

After cleaning up the walls and barricades at Delhi's Jantar Mantar of slogans (most of them spray painted during the recent youth protests) deemed offensive to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Police has now registered an FIR over 'defamatory' social media posts and videos allegedly causing serious harm to the prime minister's reputation, the Indian Express reported on Wednesday, 29 July.

Video clips surfaced on social media on Wednesday, in which police and vigilante mobs are seen confronting young women on the streets and in their homes, questioning them about their participation in the protests at Jantar Mantar. In one of the clips, a vigilante mob accompanying the police is seen menacingly asking a young woman if she still wanted to become a 'leader'. In another, policewomen are seen chasing a schoolgirl in uniform and questioning her as she tries to board an e-rickshaw.

Reports in the media that Delhi Police is scouring social media platforms to delete posts and videos lampooning and defaming the prime minister triggered both amusement and outrage on the Internet.

Some reacted by saying, 'There is no law in India that prohibits the criticism, lampooning or 'targeting' of the PM or other constitutional functionaries. If someone feels they have been defamed by a post, the law allows them to file a defamation case, but Delhi Police have no locus.' Others recalled that it was in Nazi Germany that it was a crime to criticise the government, including 'gossiping' or 'making fun' of officials.

Gen Z protesters simply felt vindicated, saying that Delhi Police's action confirmed their viral slogan: 'Jab Jab Modi darta hai, police ko aage karta hai (Modi thrusts the police forward whenever he's scared).'

'Since when is an elected representative above questioning? In a functioning democracy, citizens have every right to demand answers and accountability from their PM. By treating online criticism as a criminal offence and a threat to "public order", the state machinery is sending a chilling message: the Prime Minister is beyond the reach of public scrutiny.

'Why can't ordinary people on social media ask questions of the very man they elected to serve them? Does the Delhi Police genuinely believe he is "non-biological" and therefore immune to the questions and frustrations of mere mortals?" asked the Cockroach Janta Party — which led the youth protests at Jantar Mantar — in response to media reports that Delhi Police was going after memes, posters and videos allegedly affecting the prime minister's reputation, dignity and public image.

Media reports on Wednesday morning, citing Delhi Police sources, said the FIR was registered following a complaint that 'derogatory, malicious and defamatory content is being circulated on social media platforms targeting constitutional heads'. Delhi Police has asked X to delete the alleged posts and videos immediately.

It has also sought the names, addresses, contact details and email IDs associated with the X accounts from which the content was posted. This includes login and logout details with date and time stamps. Reports also claimed that police had identified around 500 social media accounts that allegedly shared deepfake and AI-generated content related to the protests. A police officer said these accounts had been recommended for blocking.

"While the Gen Z protests have changed mores, their aftermath continues. FIRs are being filed, protesters are being arrested and social media memes are being taken down. And a lot of data about the protesters has been captured. Drones, surveillance vans and videographers have collected a lot of information which has been fed through AI systems," said Apar Gupta, advocate and founder director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, in a podcast with The Wire.

The issue also echoed inside Parliament. In the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran raised the issue and alleged that Delhi Police personnel used Meta smart glasses to scan, identify and hunt student protesters. "Peaceful young people protesting paper leaks and exam fraud are treated like criminals. The government's priority is clear: protect the PM's image and crush the students… How long will we let our children be tracked and thrashed like cattle while the same government lectures Meta about free speech?" he asked.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi demanded that Union home minister Amit Shah appear in the House and issue a statement on who ordered the use of pellet guns against protesters at Jantar Mantar. The home minister has not made any statement, either inside or outside Parliament, condemning the use of force against the students or stating that he did not authorise it and that action would be taken against those who acted contrary to his instructions.

Given Shah's image as a tough administrator, and with Delhi Police reporting to him, many believe that nothing the force has done so far has been without his knowledge or consent.