Kerala: CPI(M), DYFI Hold Protests Against Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest, Use of Central Agencies to Silence Opp

The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has created an uproar, with protests being held by non-BJP parties across the country. Protests erupted spontaneously in Kerala with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) taking to the streets immediately after the arrest. 

A night march was held in cities, including Thiruvananthapuram, on March 21 while DYFI held a march to Raj Bhavan on March 22. The CPI(M) state committee and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the arrest of the Delhi Chief Minister by the central agency. 

Vijayan termed the arrest action as “vicious and a plot to silence” the opposition voices ahead of the general elections. “This exposes the cowardice of those who fear democratic process and calls for collective action to resist abuse of power”, he wrote on ‘X’. 

Leading the protest by CPI(M) and DYFI after the night march on March 21, M A Baby, polit bureau member of the party, said that the Delhi Chief Minister’s arrest was “instructed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” 

“The factor behind the arrest is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-controlled BJP regime led by Narendra Modi. The BJP is afraid of their support base eroding after the exposure of several corrupt practices of the BJP government, including the Electoral Bond scheme”, he said. 

Baby also referred to the stay imposed by the Supreme Court on the Fact Check Unit proposed by the BJP regime and the ban by the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) direction to stop the BJP campaign through the social media platforms as other factors influencing the decision to arrest a sitting Chief Minister. 

A A Rahim, MP, the national president of DYFI, accused the BJP-led government of acting against the Opposition by utilising Central agencies.

“The Prime Minister is making attempts to become a Viswa Guru on how to silence the Opposition. Leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh (of Aam Aadmi Party), are put behind the bars. The BJP government is sending a message to Opposition parties to either join their fold or face action”, he said. 

A protest march by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) parties was also held in Kannur condemning the use of Central agencies by the BJP-led government to threaten leaders of Opposition parties.

Thomas Isaac, former finance minister of Kerala and member of the CPI(M) central committee, wrote on ‘X’ accusing the BJP-led Union government of working against the INDIA bloc fearing electoral defeat. 

“This extreme step reflects the panic of BJP as the election campaign advances. It is also an attempt to divert popular attention from revelations of corruption in electoral bonds when EC is forced to publish the full data”, he wrote.