CPM seeks action against erring cops

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 31

CPM leaders today threatened to resort to direct action if the government failed to take action against the erring policemen for thrashing SFI students in front of the Vidhan Sabha and attacking party office on March 18.

CPM leaders, including state secretary Dr Onkar Shad, party’s central committee member Rakesh Singha, state secretariat member Tikender Panwar and local committee member Kishori Datwalia and student leader Rajan Harta launched a virulent attack against the Virbhadra Singh government saying that he had failed to meet people’s expectations and was following neo-liberal policies.

They said the government hiked fee, banned student elections and helping the Jay Pee company in ruining the ecology of Kinnaur, adding that the CM was not ready to accept the demands of the agitating workers.

CPM activists staged a protest march from the Cart Road to the Vidhan Sabha raising slogans against the Virbhadra government. They demanded a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the High Court into the police lathicharge on protesting SFI students at Vidhan Sabha chowk and ransacking CPM office and beating up party leaders on March 18.

Addressing a gathering near the Vidhan Sabha CPM leaders warned that the party would expose the “hollow government as it has let loose a reign of terror against the dissenting voices in the state mainly CPM leaders.”

“We will be forced to resort to direct action if the government fails to institute a judicial probe into the whole incid-ent and bringing the culprits to justice”, they threatened.

CPM leaders further condemned the ghastly attack on Rakesh Singha at Bithal few days ago, where he narrowly escaped a bid on his life.

“It is shocking that the police was involved in this act which smacks of deep-rooted connivance between the state government and the JP Company,” they said.

The CPM also staged similar protests throughout the state in Poanta Sahib, Chamba, Kinnaur, Mandi, Kullu, Hamirpur, Solan, Nahan, Una, Kangra, Dharamsala, Baijnath, Jogindernagar and several other Tehsil headquarters. But the protest ended peacefully, the police officials said.