The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has fiercely condemned the mass detentions and police repression unleashed against protesters in New Delhi and other parts of India, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP government of trampling on fundamental democratic rights.
The crackdown came as thousands of young people, students and opposition activists attempted to demonstrate against the Election Commission’s controversial revision of electoral rolls, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Protesters accuse the electoral authorities of facilitating the exclusion of eligible voters in ways that benefit the ruling BJP, allegations denied by the Election Commission and the government.
On Saturday, security forces effectively sealed off parts of the capital, deploying thousands of police and paramilitary personnel, erecting barricades, restricting public transport and detaining demonstrators before they could reach the protest site at Jantar Mantar. More than 2,000 people were detained in Delhi, according to a government official cited by Reuters, while further detentions were reported elsewhere.
Among those detained were CPI(M) General Secretary M. A. Baby, senior communist leader Brinda Karat and several other prominent party figures, including leaders associated with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). Despite the restrictions, demonstrators continued to gather at different locations across the capital, confronting police barricades and demanding the protection of democratic rights.
In its statement, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau accused the Modi government of attempting to suppress mounting public opposition through intimidation and police force. The Party described the repression as evidence of the BJP government’s inability to tolerate democratic protest and called on its organizations to mobilize nationwide.
The communists stressed that the demonstrations had continued despite intensive police surveillance and the heavy deployment of security personnel outside party offices. They argued that the authorities’ attempts to silence dissent would not prevent the movement from continuing.
The CPI(M) has demanded an end to the repression and called for countrywide protests in solidarity with those targeted by the police. The Party has also reiterated its demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an end to the controversial electoral-roll revision exercise.
From In Defense of Communism via This RSS Feed.