Srinagar, Oct 9: Five Left parties have condemned the restrictions imposed by Delhi Police ahead of the October 10 mobilisation against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI), terming the measures an infringement of citizens’ fundamental right to peaceful protest.
In a joint statement, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, CPI (ML)-Liberation, Revolutionary Socialist Party and All India Forward Bloc alleged that the restrictions, including the denial of permission for the proposed demonstration, extensive barricading and prohibitory orders, were aimed at preventing people from participating in the mobilisation.
The parties also expressed concern over reports of 57 Metro stations being closed, trains heading to Delhi being cancelled, people being placed under house arrest in different parts of the country and students being detained. They further alleged that offices of student organisations were under surveillance.
Describing the measures as an attack on constitutional rights, the parties said the restrictions were also causing inconvenience and harassment to ordinary citizens.
They urged the Delhi Police and the Union government to stop intimidating prospective participants and refrain from arbitrary detentions.
The Left parties demanded that authorities remove obstacles to the mobilisation and allow people to proceed to Jantar Mantar to participate in the proposed peaceful demonstration.
