CPI condemns arrest of students, right activists
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 12 2020:
Communist Party of India (CPI), Manipur State Council has expressed concern and condemnation over the series of arrest of students and human right activists under draconian law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) during the time when the country and people are tackling Covid-19 pandemic.
Sitaram Yechury, secretary general of CPM; D Raja, general secretary of CPI; Dipankar Bhattacharya, general secretary of CPI (ML); Debabrata Biswas, general secretary of All India Forward Bloc (AIFB); Manoj Bhattacharya, general secretary of Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP); Sharad Yadav, general secretary of Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD); Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president and MP Thol Thirumavalavan have jointly written a letter to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind in this regard and demanded immediate release of those arrested students and right activities, said a statement of CPI Manipur State Council.
In the letter addressed to the President, leaders of the left parties said that people all over the country, and the world, are experiencing fear and uncertainty about their well-being, and the safety of their loved ones.
The Central Government's priority at the moment must be dealing with the pandemic in the most effective manner while catering to the needs of the people.
The Central Government has done very little to provide relief and rations to migrant workers, many of whom have lost their lives due to hunger, exhaustion and walking many kilometres to reach their homes, they alleged.
"Many countries in the world are seeking to release prisoners so as to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in prisons.
In India too, the Supreme Court advised release of prisoners on bail or parole to reduce crowding in prisons.
The situation at the Arthur Road prison in Mumbai is a testimony to such dangers.
Even physically disabled people with known serious medical conditions like Dr G N Saibaba and others are not being allowed to seek competent medical treatment.
At such a time, it is shocking to see the Government of India jailing academics, activists, women, and students, putting their health and safety at grave risk.
In Delhi, police acting directly under the Home Ministry have been arresting prominent activists including women involved in the totally peaceful anti-CAA movement under the draconian UAPA on totally manufactured charges seeking to link them with the communal violence in Delhi.
In addition, scores of students are being called for interrogation by the Special Branch and intimidated.
The victims of the violence perpetrated in JNU are being targeted while there has not been a single arrest of those outsiders who unleashed this violence against students and teachers.
It is also shocking to note that certain communities are being targeted while the perpetrators of communally charged violence, established in various video recordings, including prominent leaders of the ruling party are moving around scot free.
In the communal violence in north east Delhi, in spite of prima facie evidence of police connivance and the involvement of mobs attacking minority areas identified in the videos, the Delhi police has been arresting and interrogating only members of minority community, creating a sense of insecurity among them.
The arrests of Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima Koregaon case even while continuing the detention of activists Sudha Bharadwaj and others without any evidence is another shocking example of how civil liberties are being trampled.
In Kashmir the continuing detention of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and many others is condemnable.
It is also highly condemnable that prisoners from Kashmir are locked up in various jails across the country.
The vindictive approach of the Government in continuing the detention of Laloo Prasad Yadav in spite of his ill health and the stringent conditions of his imprisonment is condemnable," the letter added.
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