‘Brutal state terrorism’: Pinarayi slams Modi govt over Delhi protest crackdown

Kerala’s Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday accused the Narendra Modi government of using excessive force to suppress protests seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, following allegations of irregularities in the electoral process.

In a Facebook post, Vijayan described the police action against protesters in the national capital as “brutal state terrorism”, alleging that the crackdown had shocked the human conscience.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had called for a protest in Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process. The agitation was joined by Left student and youth organisations, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the All India Students’ Association (AISA).

Police and paramilitary personnel, including those from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), detained protesters at several locations across the capital. CPM Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas was also detained and allegedly manhandled by police and CRPF personnel, following which he was hospitalised.

Referring to the crackdown, Vijayan claimed that around 50,000 police and paramilitary personnel had been deployed across Delhi to suppress the agitation. He alleged that the forces unleashed violence on protesters on a scale that shocked the human conscience.

Vijayan further alleged that Brittas was forced into a police vehicle, suffocated and brutally beaten before being thrown onto the street.

“The Delhi Police, which does not even respect a single Member of Parliament, has degenerated into a criminal gang. Unparalleled cruelty was committed against student and youth leaders,” he said.

The CPM veteran also alleged that SFI all-India president Adarsh M Saji was seriously injured after being slapped in the face, while DYFI central committee member Jake C Thomas was dragged along the road and stripped naked.

He further claimed that police personnel grabbed women SFI leaders by the neck, tore their clothes and assaulted students while taking them into custody.

In his statement, Vijayan alleged that stadiums were being turned into temporary detention centres, drawing a parallel with Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. He also claimed that protesters were being transported towards the borders in buses fitted with iron bars.

“The Sangh Parivar desires to use the police to suppress those who ask questions and disagree with them. But the Left movements in this country are not the ones who will bow down before this state terror that they unleash while in the grip of power,” he said.

Vijayan said the BJP government would have to answer to the people for every drop of blood shed on the streets of Delhi. He also urged all those who believe in democracy to raise their voices against the alleged violence.

In a separate post on X, Vijayan said democracy had been battered on the streets of Delhi over the preceding two days, alleging that thousands of protesters had been attacked and detained for demanding accountability from the Election Commission.

“Peaceful protesters were met with batons, humiliation, and mass detention. The Modi government must answer for this assault on democratic rights. You may detain thousands, but you cannot imprison the conscience of a nation,” he said.