Attack on democratic rights: INDIA Bloc leaders on detentions of anti-ECI protestors

New Delhi, October 17 (IANS): Leaders of the INDIA Bloc on Saturday condemned the detention of people protesting against the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that the police action undermined the fundamental principles of democracy and restricted citizens' right to express dissent.The Opposition leaders criticised the detentions of protesters and activists in the national Capital, arguing that peaceful demonstrations were an essential part of a democratic system and that the authorities should not use restrictions to silence those questioning the government or constitutional institutions.The criticism came after Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was detained from Connaught Place ahead of his proposed 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march in Delhi on Friday. He was subsequently placed under preventive arrest.All India Students' Association (AISA) President Neha Bora was also detained on Friday and later released with certain conditions.Reacting to the developments, Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha member Awadhesh Prasad told IANS that opposing injustice had always been a central principle of socialist politics."It has always been the nature of us socialists to stand against injustice. Wherever injustice occurs, the Samajwadi Party has consistently raised its voice against it. If this is being described as an undeclared Emergency, then it certainly appears to be so. If restrictions are imposed on protests and demonstrations, it affects the Fundamental Right to freedom of speech and expression. This situation is similar to an Emergency," Prasad said.CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member V. Sivadasan also criticised the police action, alleging that protesters had been detained for prolonged periods without being adequately informed about the reasons for their detention."Students, youth, and workers were detained by this police. Including the police officers, they don't know what the reason is. Only because of directions from the Home Ministry were these endless students and protesting people detained for long hours, including girl students. The girl students, women members of different political parties, were detained for long hours in the police station. It is basically against human rights," Sivadasan told IANS.He further referred to the detentions of Abhijeet Dipke and Neha Bora, claiming that hundreds of students had also been arrested or detained during the demonstrations."They were manhandled. These things are not suitable for a democratic nation. Our fight will continue," Sivadasan said.Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput also launched a sharp attack on the BJP over the detention of people participating in the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march."Those who oppose the Tricolour can only be the sons of the British. Those who have arrested the people who carried out the Tiranga March can only be the followers of the British. Just like the British used to do it with the freedom fighters, the anti-national and anti-people BJP has done the same," Rajput told IANS.Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, Priyanka Chaturvedi, also questioned the detention of people participating in a march involving the National Flag, maintaining that the right to protest and express disagreement with the government was fundamental to democracy."Detaining someone for hoisting the Tricolour is not right. Protesting is a democratic right, as Sushma Swaraj ji and Arun Jaitley ji used to say. This is not just the Opposition's right, but everyone has the right to express their dissent towards the government," Chaturvedi told IANS."However, the way detentions are taking place and the designated protest site has been de-notified, shows that the foundation of democracy is weakening," she added.The INDIA Bloc leaders' remarks came amid continuing protests against the ECI over allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.