CPI condemns arrest of members
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 21 2019:
Sharply criticising and accusing the State Govern-ment of bending law and slapping sedition charges against its members and those who supported the all India protest on December 19, Communist Party of India (CPI) Manipur State Council has strongly condemned the arrest of its 17 members including general secretary L Sotinkumar.
Police had arrested 17 protesters including 7 women from their houses and various locations where democratic sit-ins were staged on December 19 .
Ten were picked up from Nambol.
The protesters were slapped with various Sections of IPC including 124 (A), sedition, said CPI in a statement today.
The arrested members include CPI State assistant secretary M Joykumar Luwang, secretariat member N Singhajit, RK Amusana Singh, M Shakhi Devi, O Ibotombi, Kh Thoiba, M Birmangal, M Brajake-shwar, Khoisnam Anandi Devi, Th Chandra Singh, H Urmila and Kh Meratombi and Md Islauddin.
They were slapped with Sections 124 (A), 143, 426, 506, 34 etc, said CPI.
All of them have been released but the charges slapped against them were uncalled for as they were holding peaceful democratic protests.
They were neither involved in enforcing bandh, shutting shops nor were spreading hatred.
Sit-ins were held across 30 different places against Citizenship Act and all of them were democratic and peaceful, said CPI.
Further accusing the State Government of suppressing democratic voices, the CPI Manipur State Council also strongly condemned the arrest of its general secretary L Sotinkumar.
The CPI leader was arrested by the police yesterday, a day after the protest, it said urging Government for his unconditional release.