CPI(M) decries detention of protesting leaders, says 'an Emergency-like situation prevails in Delhi'

"A brutal atmosphere similar to that during the Emergency prevails in Delhi. The Delhi Police have turned violent like RSS-BJP goons," the party says in a statement

In the wake of the Delhi Police detaining several protesters, including senior CPI(M) leaders, as they planned to take out a march to Jantar Mantar in the national capital on Saturday (October 10, 2026) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, the CPI(M) Keralam State Secretariat strongly condemned the "fascist action of the Central Government in suppressing the protests".

Pinarayi Vijayan

The CPI(M) said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were plunging the entire nation into turmoil in a bid to protect the CEC. "The BJP must answer why it created an atmosphere akin to a lockdown by deploying more than 50,000 police personnel and paramilitary forces and imposing prohibitory orders. The internet has been shut down in Delhi and 57 metro stations have been shut. Trains that left for Delhi, including from Keralam, terminated their service before reaching Delhi. The incident of police boarding a flight and arresting people, including CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke, is barbaric. All these actions curb freedom of movement and freedom of expression. When the CPI(M) General Secretary approached the Supreme Court, even the court had to disagree with such prohibitions," the party said.

"The fact that over 13 crore voters have been arbitrarily deleted from the electoral rolls is now out in the open. It is also clear that the CEC is doing a hit job for the RSS-BJP combine. Amit Shah and his accomplices think that the peaceful agitation erupting across the country against this can be quelled with an iron fist," the CPI(M) said.

The CPI(M) reminded the RSS and the BJP that India attained Independence and protected democracy by breaching far bigger iron curtains.

Earlier on Saturday (October 10), CPI(M) parliamentarian John Brittas and the party posted a series of videos on X showing the police detaining CPI(M) leaders. Mr Brittas accused the Delhi Police of uncivil behaviour towards Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, disregarding his age. He wondered if this was the treatment meted out to a former Chief Minister, what would be the plight of the commoner.

Mr. Brittas said the police did not inform the leaders why they had been taken into custody. "We [Mr. Vijayan, Mr. Brittas and former minister K.N. Balagopal] are being taken around the city in a police vehicle," he said.

The CPI(M) took out demonstrations across Keralam to protest the detention and the "fascist methods" of the Centre. It said widespread protests would be held demanding the resignation of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar.