CPI(ML) state unit of Uttar Pradesh strongly condemned the police brutalities unleashed on the activists of the Rihaai Manch including on their general secretary Rajeev Yadav. On 2 November 2016, the activists of the Rihaai Manch were on their way to the GPO park in Lucknow to protest against the fake encounters of 8 Muslim youth in Bhopal by Bhopal Police. However, they were stopped by the Lucknow Police and brutally beaten up.
A team of party members visited the office of the Rihaai Manch to meet the injured activists. CPI(ML) UP state secretary Ramji Rai said that the way the Samajwadi Party government dealt with peaceful activists and those defending democracy has started reminding one of the days of emergency. The party that claims to follow the ideals of Lohia is showing authoritarian behaviour. He also said that it seems the talking about the failures of the BJP government at the centre and exposing their attempts to incite communal frenzy as the UP elections come closer does not appear to go down well not only with the BJP but even with the SP. The SP government at the state appears uncomfortable about questions being raised about the failures and communal agenda of the BJP. If it were not so, the police under Akhilesh Yadav would not have unleashed brutalities on the protestors demanding answers on the so called “bravery” of the MP police headed by Shivraj Singh. He added that the people of the state are watching everything and the elections to the state assembly are not far away. He demanded strict action against the accused police officials who attacked the activists of the Rihaai Manch.
