People's Democracy

Nationwide Condemnation Across Political Spectrum

RSS-BJP Goons Attack CPI(M) Headquarters

IN a pre-planned attack, several goons of BJP-RSS attacked the national headquarters of CPI(M), AKG Bhavan, in New Delhi on the morning of March 9 injuring seven central committee members and several other office staff. The RSS goons subsequently also attacked Party offices in Dehra Dun and Nagercoil and the house of Karnataka CPI(M) state secretary in Bangalore. In a dastardly manner, RSS goons attacked the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Hyderabad. There was nationwide condemnation of these attacks across political spectrum. The BJP's isolation was near total in parliament during discussion on this issue.

Around 11.15 a.m. around 150-200 workers belonging to the BJP-RSS and other affiliates suddenly appeared in front of AKG Bhavan, where the central committee meeting was taking place. They were led by the BJP leader of opposition in Delhi assembly Jagdish Mukhi and BJP's Delhi mayor Arti Mehra along with two former BJP MLAs Ram Niwas Goyal and Jeet Ram Solanki and four corporators. The mob started shouting slogans against CPI(M) and tried to forcibly enter the office. Hearing the commotion, the office staff and few central committee members rushed out and stood at the gate. The few police personnel at the entrance could not prevent the mob, which started pelting stones brought in their cars..They targeted the CPI(M) leaders and staff guarding the gate. Central secretariat member and office incharge Hari Singh Kang received head injury while central committee member Jogendra Sharma received injury on his neck. Both were hospitalised. Central secretariat member V Sreenivasa Rao and CC members Pushpendra Grewal, T Veerabadhram, Rakesh Singha and Kumar Shiralkar were also injured in the stone throwing. Office staff member Udayvir sustained serious injury on his face, necessitating admission in hospital.

Three cars parked in front of the office were damaged severely by the goons and glass panes of the front doors were also shattered in the attack. It may be noted the BJP-RSS goons made an attempt a day earlier also to march to AKG Bhavan but were prevented by the police around a kilometre away. And on the day of the attack despite the police being alerted in the morning itself only skeletal police force was deployed, and which watched helplessly the attack being carried out. Later the police arrested 14 BJP-RSS workers and produced them in court. Bail was granted on March 11.

STRONG CONDEMNATION

The attack on CPI(M) evoked strong condemnation not only from the Polit Bureau of the Party but also from various political parties. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who was at the farmers rally in Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi, spoke to CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat immediately after learning of the attack. She strongly condemned the attack and told Karat that such an attack on the office of a national political party has not happened before. Later a delegation of Congress general secretaries Veerappa Moily, Ambika Soni, Narayanaswamy and Kishore Chandra Deo visited AKG Bhavan and saw first hand the scene. Speaking to media Moily strongly condemned the attack and said it was more than an attack on the office of a political party. It was an attack on democracy. Later Delhi chief minister Shiela Dixit also visited AKG Bhavan.

UNPA leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chandrababu Naidu who were in Jaipur addressing a farmers rally also spoke to Prakash Karat over telephone condemning the attack and expressing solidarity.

CPI in a statement condemned the attack and dubbed it as fascistic and called for stringent action. The Forward Bloc and CPI(ML) have in statements called the attack barbaric and condemned it.

Reports of protest actions were received from all over the country.

(INN)