Taking strong objection to the manner and fashion of the recent arrests of students and activists during the COVID 19 Pandemic lockdown in the national capital, eight political parties of India have written a letter to the President, Ramnath Kovind, condemning these arrests as well as the timing of such arrests.
The indiscriminate arrests that have been taking place since early March have particularly intensified after the lockdown taking full advantage, it is alleged, of the absence of free movement and protests that could or would have otherwise ensued. Most of those arrested are young Muslim activists, including women student leaders who were active in organising protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 and the NPR-NRC. Student leaders of left parties have also been called in for questioning!
The letter has been signed by Sitaram Yechury, CPI (M) general secretary, D. Raja, CPI general secretary, Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI(ML) general secretary, Debabrata Biswas, AIFB general secretary, Manoj Bhattacharya, RSP general secretary, Sharad Yadav, LJD general secretary, Manoj Jha, RJD MP, and Thol. Thirumavalavan, MP and VCK president.
The letter states that these arrests are ill timed especially in times when the whole world is experiencing fear and uncertainty. It further says that the priority of the government must be to focus on effectively dealing with the COVID19 pandemic and the problems that have spawned from it such as the starving migrant workers trying to get back home.
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