On Mass Picketing and Court Arrest Programme

The Left parties congratulate the lakhs of people who participated in the mass picketing and court arrest programme all over the country. They were responding to the call of the Left parties on demands pertaining to price rise, land, employment and the violence against the Left in West Bengal.

From the reports received so far, more than 25 lakh (2.5 million) people participated in the mass picketing and court arrest programme.

Delhi: The leaders of the four Left Parties, Prakash Karat, A.B. Bardhan, Debabrata Biswas and Abani Roy were arrested at New Delhi’s Parliament Street while leading a march of over two thousand protesters. The police used water cannon to disperse the protestors. One person was injured.

West Bengal: Over 10 lakh people participated in the mass picketing programmes in front of Central Government offices like post offices, railway offices, etc., across all the nineteen districts of the state. Nearly one lakh people participated in the 7 hours long picketing programme in front of the Income Tax office in Kolkata.

Kerala: Over 5 lakh people participated in the mass picketing programme in the district centres in front of Central Government offices. Major mobilizations were witnessed in the districts of Kannur, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Palakkad, Kollam and Trvandrum where around 50000 people participated in each of the protest centres.

Tripura: Over 1.5 lakh people participated in mass picketing and courted arrest in 55 centres across Tripura.

Andhra Pradesh: 1 lakh people participated in the picketing in different district centres, of which more than 40000 were arrested.

Tamil Nadu: Around 1 lakh people courted arrest across all the districts of the State.

Maharashtra: Over 1 lakh people participated in protest actions across Maharashtra.

Bihar: Over 75000 people courted arrest across all the districts of the state.

Jharkhand: Around 30000 people participated in picketing and courted arrest.

Punjab: 30000 people participated in picketing in various centres.

Madhya Pradesh: Over 25000 people courted arrest in 35 district centres.

Uttar Pradesh: Incomplete reports show that more than 20000 people courted arrest across the State.

Karnataka: 15000 people participated in protests across the State and 8000 people were arrested.

Orissa: Around 15000 people were arrested from 30 centres of the state.

Assam: 15000 people courted arrest in 46 centres.

Rajasthan: 6500 people courted arrest in different district centres.

Himachal Pradesh: Over 6000 people courted arrest across the state.

Haryana: Over 4000 people courted arrest across the state.

Puducherry: Over 2200 people participated in picketing in Puducherry, where police lathi charged the protestors injuring over 30 people.

Reports from other states are still coming in.