‘Police action will intensify campaign against Gyanesh Kumar’: CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar criticises CJP activists' remand
CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar asserts that police action and arrests will only strengthen the movement demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Communist Party of India (CPI) MP P Sandosh Kumar on Wednesday declared that police actions against leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) would only serve to intensify the ongoing campaign demanding the resignation or removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Speaking to ANI, Kumar asserted that the movement is gaining momentum and that legal measures such as arrests, detentions, and the filing of First Information Reports (FIRs) would fail to suppress the growing dissent. He noted that the demand for the Chief Election Commissioner's removal has become a national issue, involving both India bloc parties and various civil society groups.
Movement will strengthen despite arrests
The CPI leader emphasized that the current crackdown would act as a catalyst rather than a deterrent. "The ongoing protests demanding the removal of or resignation of Mr Gyanesh Kumar cannot be suppressed by police actions. The demand is genuine, and this has become the demand of the entire nation," Kumar stated. He added that the involvement of pressure groups like the CJP ensures that the fight for justice continues regardless of police intervention.
Criticism of Jantar Mantar De-notification
Kumar also raised concerns regarding the government's decision to de-notify Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site. He argued that the national capital must provide a specific location for citizens to express dissent without disrupting public life.
He questioned the logic behind the restriction, suggesting that Jantar Mantar has historically been the most appropriate venue for such activities. "In the national capital, if you want to voice your dissent, where is the place available for that? Jantar Mantar used to be the place... It is not at all acceptable. We will continue our movements," he remarked.
AAP compares current climate to 1975 Emergency
Adding weight to the growing political tension, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj drew parallels between the current political landscape and the Emergency imposed in 1975. Bharadwaj pointed to allegations of electoral irregularities, youth-led protests, and the arrest of political leaders as evidence of a similar pattern.
"I feel like the wheel of time has turned full circle and today we are back to the same time of 1975," Bharadwaj said. He cited concerns over the electoral system and the economic situation as key factors driving public unrest.
Bharadwaj also touched upon the personal targeting of political leaders, noting that multiple cases have been filed against him recently. He expressed concern that false cases are being framed against prominent leaders to facilitate overnight arrests and incarceration in Tihar jail. He concluded by asserting that the right to peaceful protest is a fundamental right that cannot be stripped away by the government, the courts, or the police.