New Delhi, Aug 28: Reacting to the series of raids conducted by the Pune Police on Tuesday, which led to the arrest of five activists, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the crackdown was carried out on the behest of the Centre.

Blaming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the ruling BJP for the arrests, the Gandhi scion said the current dispensation will "jail all activists" who are not affiliated to the RSS.

"There is only place for one NGO in India and it's called the RSS. Shut down all other NGOs. Jail all activists and shoot those that complain. Welcome to the new India," the Congress chief said in a sarcastic tweet.

Those who were arrested today are: lawyer and trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj, poet P Varavara Rao, activist Gautam Navlakha, and lawyers Arun Pereira and Vernon Gonsalve. They have been charged under the relevant IPC sections for criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity among castes and religious groups, along with the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The transit remand of Navlakha was, however, stayed by the Delhi High Court which ordered the Pune Police to take him into custody only after it decides on his bail plea. Navlakha will remain under house arrest till the court's ruling.

The arrests, claimed the Pune Police, are linked to their involvement in the riots which broke out in Bhima Koregaon earlier this year. 1 man was killed in the caste violence which ensued Pune and neighbouring regions in the first week of January.

In June this year, the Pune Police had arrested five other activists - Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Rona Wilson and Shoma Sen - for their alleged role in the riots. From the residence of Wilson, the investigators recovered purported letters from the banned CPI (Maoist) which hinted towards a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 28, 2018 11:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).