CPIML Uttar Pradesh State Secretary Sudhakar Yadav, District Secretary Shankar Kol and his wife, and AIPWA District Vice President Hirawati were arrested from their homes by the police on the morning of 14 December 2020. Comrade Sudhakar Yadav was currently staying at the District Secretary’s home. About 50-60 people came to the spot and protested strongly against the arrests. The arrested leaders said that they would not go unless handcuffed, while the people gathered there demanded that they should also be arrested along with their leaders; upon which the Inspector behaved offensively. Since the police had brought only a small vehicle, they took away only three people who have since been kept at the Sukrit Police Chowki in the Robertsganj Kotwali area. Comrades in Sonbhadra are planning to stage protests despite barricading by the police at various places.
Meanwhile, Sitapur District Secretary Arjun Lal was also arrested from his home in the early hours of 14 December and brought to the Thana from where he was later released but kept under house arrest at his home.
CPIML Banaras District Secretary Amarnath Rajbhar has been arrested by the Sindhora Thana police. Chandauli District Secretary Anil Paswan was arrested from his home by the police in the middle of the night.
Clearly, these arrests are part of a witch-hunt by the Yogi government to counter the countrywide protests called by farmers’ organizations on 14 December.
The CPIML Uttar Pradesh State unit strongly condemns these arrests and house-arrests and demands the unconditional release of all the detained persons.
