When it comes to the gross abuse of police power by the Adityanath administration in UP and its intolerance of press freedom, it is clear that COVID-19, the lockdown and social distancing make no difference whatsoever. 1/5

Today, April 10, at 2 pm a plainclothes man came to our home and said he had come from the Ayodhya ‘prashasan’ to serve notice on @svaradarajan. He would not give his name. I told him to leave it in the mailbox. He refused. 2/5

At 3:20, he & 7-8 uniformed men (at least 2 not in masks) came in a black SUV, no number plates. Only 2 identified themselves. On insisting, they gave plainclothesman's name as Chanderbhan Yadav, not designation. Cops said they’d driven from Ayodhya for this essential service! 3

They wouldn't let me sign the notice—"Our rule is not to give it to women and minors”. When asked to be shown the rule, they sought instructions on phone and let me sign. Then, they phoned their boss to say “notice has been received”. 4/5

The notice asks @svaradarajan to appear in Ayodhya April 14, 10 am (when lockdown will still be in force) in connection with FIR registered by the police for factual @thewire_in story which said Adityanath & others had attended a religious event in Ayodhya after the lockdown. 5/5

By the way, here is the The Wire's story which has prompted this gross misuse of the police and state machinery at a time when the administration's focus needs to be on the coronavirus: https://thewire.in/health/as-covid-19-cases-spike-nehru-stadium-in-delhi-to-be-converted-to-quarantine-centre