People's Democracy

Two Young Women’s Arrest in Maharashtra Condemned

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) issued the following statement on November 20, 2012.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) condemns the arbitrary arrests of two young women in Palghar, Maharashtra, for their Facebook message disapproving the bandhs in Maharashtra following the death of the Shiv Sena chief Shri Bal Thackeray. The Shiv Sena goons also vandalised a clinic being run by a relation of one of the girls. Under the Congress-NCP government it was not the vandals who were arrested but the young women who have every right to express their opinion.

The incident shows how the Congress-NCP government panders to the Shiv Sena brand of intolerant and authoritarian politics. There is nothing remotely offensive or anything pertaining to religious sentiments in the message posted by one of the women. This is a clear case of misuse of the IT Act, once again underlining the need for a thorough review of some of its provisions that are open to gross misuse.

The CPI(M) demands immediate withdrawal of the false cases against the young women, arrest of those responsible for attacking the clinic, and action against the police officials responsible for the arrests.