Summary of this article
- Communist leader A. K. Gopalan became one of the first people on whom the Preventive Detention Act, 1950 was used
- The PDA was repealed in 1969, but the DIR, UAPA and MISA soon followed.
- Almost all political parties that have been in power in states have used these laws, especially the UAPA
Preventive detention, a colonial era practice to crush political protests, smoothly found its way into post-colonial India, among many other legal frameworks limiting personal liberty. Climate activistSonam Wangchuk, one of its victims, may well blame Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar for his confinement. |