People's Democracy

(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)


Vol. XXVIII

No. 26

June 27, 2004

     Chatra Samajwadi Goons Attack SFI Activists

 

THE central executive committee of the Student’s Federation of India (SFI) strongly condemned the attack on its activists in Rae Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, by Chatra Samajwadi goons. It demanded the UP government to take immediate action and punish the culprits.

 

Issuing a statement on June 22 in New Delhi, the SFI asked the Mulayam Singh Yadav government to ensure the protection of democratic rights of the students and restore the faith reposed by the people on them.

 

The SFI activists were assisting the students of Feroze Gandhi PG College, Rai Bareilly, in their admission when they were attacked by Chatra Samajwadi goons. Uday Vir Singh, son of the local Samajwadi party MLA led this attack. These rowdies kidnapped four SFI leaders, including the district secretary Santosh Patel, in the afternoon of June 21 and beat them brutally using rifle butts. They threatened them with dire consequences and asked them to quit SFI. They hurled abuses in the name of their castes. They continued their brutality for six hours, leaving the SFI activists severely injured. They were later admitted to a hospital. The local police refused to lodge a FIR against the accused and even denied medical aid to the injured student leaders.

 

The SFI demanded the immediate arrest of the persons involved in this gruesome act, including Uday Vir Singh, the prime accused. It also wanted action to be taken against the police officers who failed to discharge their official duties. (INN)