Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 10 (PTI) Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Saturday condemned the detention of CPI(M) leader and Leader of Opposition in the Keralam Assembly, Pinarayi Vijayan, by the Delhi Police during a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Vijayan and other senior CPI(M) leaders from Keralam were detained near Kerala House in New Delhi as they were about to protest against Kumar and the SIR exercise.
In a post on X, Satheesan said he was deeply concerned and strongly condemned Vijayan’s arbitrary detention by Delhi Police.
“He is currently being held at Mandir Marg Police Station. On my instructions, the Chief Secretary, Keralam, and the Resident Commissioner in New Delhi are in direct contact with Delhi Police authorities to coordinate all necessary steps for his immediate release,” he said.
Vijayan also made a post on X in the evening after condemning police action.
“Delhi is witnessing the Modi government’s ruthless crackdown on democracy. Protesters are being detained and even journalists covering the agitation are being picked up, while the government evades questions on electoral integrity,” he said.
Vijayan said that the BJP cannot evade the questions on electoral integrity and silence those demanding accountability through state repression.
“No repression can extinguish our resolve to defend the Constitution and the right to vote,” he added.
The CPI(M) state secretariat also condemned the Centre for suppressing protests in New Delhi demanding Kumar’s resignation and detaining senior party leaders, describing the action as “fascist”.
The party alleged that Delhi was witnessing a repressive atmosphere similar to the Emergency and accused Delhi Police of acting like the “goons” of the RSS and BJP.
The CPI(M) alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were pushing the country towards unrest to protect the Chief Election Commissioner.
Questioning the deployment of more than 50,000 police and paramilitary personnel and the imposition of prohibitory orders, the party asked the BJP to explain why an atmosphere resembling a lockdown had been created in the national capital.
The Centre is attempting to crush peaceful protests across the country through force, the statement said.
The CPI(M) state secretariat called for widespread protest demonstrations and public meetings across Keralam against what it described as the Centre’s fascist suppression of democratic protests. PTI TBA TBA ROH
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