CAA protests: Yechury, Raja detained, CPI condemns “dictatorial attitude” of Delhi Police

Thousands of political activists and leader of various Left parties including CP(I)M general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI leader D Raja were detained by Delhi Police for defying prohibitory orders and taking part in protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Delhi on Thursday.

The leaders were detained at Mandi House where thousands of students, protesters and common people had gathered to protest against the CAA.

“We are being detained,” CPI General Secretary D Raja told PTI just before he was put into a bus by the police.

A few hours later, his party issued an official statement, condemning the police action. Saying that Delhi Police had displayed “dictatorial attitude” under the guidance of the current government, CPI said: “Scared of widespread discontent against the anti-constitutional and divisive CAA, the government declared 144 and arrested left leaders and activists assembled at Mandi House to demonstrate against CAA and proposed NRC as a part of nationwide protest call given by left parties”.

Yechury and other Left leaders were, however, released after a few hours. Yechury addressed a massive gathering after being released from the detention.

Apart from Delhi, CPI staged demonstrations in Bengaluru against the CAA and the proposed nation-wide NRC.

In Bihar, members of Left-wing student organisations -- All India Students Federation and the All India Students Association -- squatted on railway tracks at Rajendra Nagar Terminus early in the morning, disrupting train movement.

Railway sources said normal traffic was restored after the protesters were chased away by RPF personnel. In Jehanabad, which had been a stronghold of the ultra-Left movement in Bihar, CPI(ML) activists staged a roadblock. Similarly, Left activists organised huge protest rallies in Kolkata and Agartala.