THE CPIML Uttar Pradesh unit has strongly condemned the arrest and imprisonment by the Ghazipur police of 10 Gandhian youths on 11 February as repressive. The 10 young people were on their way from Chauri Chaura (Gorakhpur) to Rajghat (Delhi) on a Satyagraha Padyatra against hate, violence, and CAA-NRC.

The CPIML supports the hunger strike by the Satyagrahis inside Ghazipur Jail to demand release and protest against the harsh bail conditions. In a statement issued on 14 February the Party said that this action against peaceful Padyatris shows the desperation and frustration of the Yogi government. Questioning government policies and spreading messages of peace and harmony have become a crime in the eyes of the BJP government. Instead of answering the questions of the people and respecting the people’s aspirations the Modi-Yogi governments are committing dictatorial actions to crush people’s Constitutional rights. Anti-CAA protests and peaceful dharnas by women are being repressed in similar fashion across the State of Uttar Pradesh.

The CPIML statement said that 10 enthusiastic students and social activists including a woman journalist started their Padyatra from Gorakhpur and passed through Azamgarh and Mau without disturbing the peace in any way in all these 3 Districts. Thus, it is ridiculous that the Ghazipur administration cites ‘fear of disturbing the peace’ as the reason behind their arrests. To top it all, the harsh conditions set by the Ghazipur Sadar SDM for their bail such as Rs 2.5 lakh bail-bond for each person and a Gazetted Officer as guarantor are objectionable and abuse of official powers. Clearly, such bail conditions are impossible for these social activists to fulfill; therefore, they have been forced to sit on a hunger strike inside jail.

The CPIML demands the unconditional and immediate release of these Padyatris and appealed to democratic forces to unite against the BJP government’s attacks on citizens’ rights.