CHENNAI: The CPM on Saturday strongly condemned the Union government’s crackdown, including the alleged siege of Left party offices and the detention of senior leaders on their way to participate in the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The protest demanded the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.Condemning the alleged assault on democratic rights and the detention of senior leaders and students, the party announced demonstrations at all district headquarters across Tamil Nadu.According to a post on X, the CJP’s protest at Jantar Mantar received widespread support from various political parties, student groups and youth organisations. However, the Union government allegedly resorted to severe repressive measures, deploying Delhi Police and paramilitary forces. Left party offices were placed under siege, and protesters were prevented from gathering, the post claimed.Several senior Left leaders were detained while on their way to the venue. Those detained included CPM general secretary MA Baby, CPI general secretary D Raja, CPI(ML) leaders, Politburo members Pinarayi Vijayan and U Vasuki, Tamil Nadu state secretary P Shanmugam, and Central Committee member John Brittas.In what the party described as an attempt to intimidate protesters, Delhi Police allegedly kept the detained leaders, including former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, inside police vehicles and drove them around the capital for more than an hour without formally processing their detention.Strongly condemning the police action and what it described as the suppression of democratic dissent, the CPI(M) announced immediate demonstrations at all district headquarters across Tamil Nadu, demanding an end to the Union government’s coercive measures.
