In a series of Tweets put out on behalf of Chidambaram by his family, the arrested opposition party leader quoted Albert Einstein and asked when the country's universities became havens of freedom of thought and expression.
Chidambaram Tweeted, "Albert Einstein's celebrated quote was: 'Freedom of teaching and opinions, in books or press, is the foundation for the sound and natural development of any people'."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had floated the Einstein Challenge in his op-ed for the New York Times in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th anniversary on 2 October. Quoting Einstein’s words on Gandhi, Modi had asked people to come to the forefront to spread Gandhi’s ideas through innovation.
Chidambaram was arrested in August for allegedly facilitating foreign investment in a media company while serving a finance minister in the former Congress Party-led coalition government and also for lobbying financial favours for his son.