SFI Will Not Retreat From Protest Against Gyanesh Kumar, Says Adarsh M Saji

New Delhi: SFI All India President Adarsh M Saji said the organisation would not retreat even an inch from its protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, whom he said undermined the Indian democracy. He said the agitation would continue even if protesters were arrested and jailed, adding that Jantar Mantars would emerge across the country.

“If thousands are taking to the streets today, tens of thousands will come out tomorrow,” Adarsh said.

He accused the Chief Election Commissioner of killing democracy to enable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to remain in power. He alleged that the government was doing everything possible to protect Gyanesh Kumar and that, on Amit Shah’s instructions, young people and students participating in a peaceful protest were being brutally attacked.

“Women, including young girls, were dragged and beaten. The police are behaving like RSS workers,” Adarsh M Saji said.

Meanwhile, senior CPI(M) leaders were taken into police custody and removed ahead of the protest at Jantar Mantar. Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan, MP John Brittas and K N Balagopal were among those detained.

Soon after CPI(M) leaders set out from Kerala House towards Jantar Mantar, police took CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby, state secretary M V Govindan, K K Shailaja, P K Sreemathy, MP Sivadasan and P Rajeev into custody. P K Sreemathy and M A Baby were allegedly dragged by police during their detention. Sreemathy fell to the ground during the scuffle and was pulled up and put into a police vehicle.