Delhi Police forcibly entered the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) Headquarters, AKG Bhavan, in an attempt to arrest the Student Federation of India (SFI) leader Aishe Ghosh, one of the faces of the demonstrations at Jantar Mantar. Students and youth have been demonstrating there for weeks and succeeded in making the Union Minister of Education resign.
Police forcibly enters CPI(M) headquarters
The illegal attempt was firmly resisted by CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas, who forcefully intervened to stop the police from carrying out this unlawful action.
According to the Party, the police came in a private vehicle, some without uniform and left when questioned. CPI(M) stated that "This brazen intrusion into a political party office and the continuing witch hunt against student protesters expose the Modi government's escalating assault on democratic rights. Instead of addressing the legitimate concerns of students, the state is using police power to intimidate, silence and criminalise dissent. The CPI(M) strongly condemns this unlawful action and stands firmly with the students fighting for justice, education, and democracy."
General Secretary of the Party, M A Baby stated, "It is learnt that for the past several days, Aishe Ghosh has been continuously followed and surveilled, exposing a blatant campaign of intimidation against student leaders. Such methods have no place in a democracy. The Modi government is using the police to criminalise dissent and silence those raising their voice against injustice instead of answering the legitimate concerns of students. The CPI(M) strongly condemns this intimidation and reaffirms its solidarity with the student movement. We will resolutely resist every attempt to trample upon democratic rights."