Teesta Setalvad forced to leave Varanasi

Mangalore Today News Network

Varanasi, Sep 28, 2017: Police detained and then arrested social activist Teesta Setalvad in Varanasi recently. She has since been released on the condition that she would leave the  northern Indian city immediately.  She arrived in Varanasi to participate in the concluding session of a three-day youth camp organized by Samajwadi Jan Parishad at Rajghat.

Setalvad accused the local administration of harassing her unnecessarily and forcing her to leave the district. She arrived in the city to attend a program at Rajghat. But she was taken to the Police Line from the Babatpur airport, and later released

“I have been facing an awkward situation since I landed in Varanasi. The police took me to the Police Line and detained me for reasons best known to them. Later, I was allowed into the circuit house under the condition that I would have to leave Varanasi immediately,” the activist stated to media. 

She also said she could not understand why the local administration behaved in that manner. “I was repeatedly told by the officials that they had orders from the higher authorities to send me back from Varanasi. They failed to give me any specific reason for my detention. Can I not move freely?” asked Setalvad, adding that the officials probably feared that she would go to meet the agitating BHU girls.

“I made it clear to them that I am not here to go to BHU (Banaras Hindu University), but to attend a program that was scheduled a month ago. Yet they forced me to leave Varanasi,” she said, adding that she was leaving for Jaunpur to attend another program scheduled for September 26.