Report on 8 April Court Arrest Programme in Delhi

The Left Parties, namely, CPI (M), CPI, RSP and Forward Block intensified the ongoing agitation on the issues of Food, Employment and Land through a nationwide Jail Bharo programme today, demanding immediate steps to curb price rise and for strengthening the public distribution system, implementation of land reforms and employment opportunities.

In Delhi, nearly 2000 people from the four Left Parties gathered at the Parliament Street demanding decisive and urgent steps against price rise from the UPA government.

The gathering was addressed by the national leaders of the four Left Parties – Prakash Karat, A B Bardhan, Debabrata Biswas, and Abani Roy.

Debabratta Biswas, Gen Secy, Forward Block emphasized the need for more militant struggles to build pressure on the UPA government to change its policies on price rise.

A B Bardhan, Gen Secy, CPI, condemned the government’s insensitivity on price rise and announced that over 25 lakh people will court arrest against price rise today. He also said that the Left parties will hold a meeting to co-ordinate with other secular national parties on 12^th April in order to further intensify this movement.

Prakash Karat, Gen Secy, CPI(M), said that the Prime Minister is holding a meeting with Chief Ministers on the issue of price rise. However, the UPA has been refusing to take decisive steps on the suggestions given so far. He reiterated the demand of the Left parties – withdraw increase in diesel and petrol prices, stop futures trading in essential food items, strengthen and universalize PDS, and curb hoarding. He expressed the Left Parties’ resolve to focus on the Cut Motion on the Budget inside Parliament and intensify the struggle outside in co-ordination with other secular opposition parties in the coming days.

Abani Roy from the RSP said that unless the government accedes to these demands the agitation would be intensified further.

Nearly 2000 people, in the leadership of the national leaders of Left Parties, courted arrest at the Parliament Street. The people expressed their anger against the government by breaking barricades. The police used water canon at the agitators. One person was seriously injured and several others received minor injuries.

In Ghaziabad, over 600 CPI(M) and CPI activists courted arrest at the CGO complex at Hapur Road. In Noida, over 250 people courted arrest at DMs office at Surajpur, Greater Noida, after an effigy burning programme at Sector 8-9 Chowk.

P M S Grewal

Secretary, CPI(M), Delhi State Committee

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.