Shehla Rashid and Hardik Patel, who were known for their strong critique targeting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, faced multiple cases, including sedition charges, in various states. However, they both secured relief from courts in different orders after they were found to have aligned their stand with the BJP, The Wire reported.
Shehla Rashid, the former leader at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and Hardik Patel, once the face of the Patidar agitation in Gujarat, secured relief after Rashid publicly praised the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while Patel transitioned from a Congress leader and face of the Patidar agitation to a BJP MLA.
A Delhi court recently accepted the police's request to withdraw the sedition case against Shehla, which was filed in 2019 after she alleged human rights violations by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Article 370.
The case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those related to sedition, promoting enmity, and inciting public mischief, with prosecution sanctioned by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. However, a screening committee recommended dropping the case in December last year, prompting the police to approach the court for formal withdrawal.
Similarly, in Gujarat, the Ahmedabad City Civil and Sessions Court approved the withdrawal of a sedition case against Patel and his associates, who led the 2015 Patidar quota agitation demanding inclusion in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Patel and others had been accused of conspiring to incite the Patidar community despite knowing that their demand was not legally feasible.
The charges included sedition, waging war against the government, and promoting enmity among different groups. However, the Gujarat government communicated its decision to withdraw the case through an official letter, leading to the court's approval. The court noted that while the offence involved undermining public order, there was no record of damage to public property.
Patel's political transformation saw him move from being a vocal critic of the BJP to joining the party ahead of the 2022 Gujarat elections, securing a legislative seat in Viramgam. His induction into the BJP, coupled with the court’s decision, has fueled allegations from opposition parties that the ruling party is selectively using legal mechanisms to shield its political allies.
Opposition leaders have frequently accused the BJP of operating like a “washing machine,” where politicians facing criminal or corruption charges find relief after aligning with the party. Since 2014, at least 25 politicians from opposition ranks have switched to the BJP while under investigation by central agencies, with 23 of them seeing their cases either stalled or closed.
Investigative reports suggest that an overwhelming majority of cases pursued by agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Income Tax Department have been against opposition leaders, raising concerns about the selective use of investigative bodies for political purposes.