The Communist Party of India (CPI) strongly criticised the Congress government in Chhattisgarh for refusing permission for a 100-km padayatra from Silger to Sukma, to be organised by the party in solidarity with the tribal community protesting against alleged police atrocities.
Calling the move “highly undemocratic” ,the party sought to remind the Congress that its own Bharat Jodo Yatra was currently passing through Kerala, ruled by the Left parties.
In a statement, the National Secretariat of the CPI said, “The Chhattisgarh government‘s action is highly undemocratic and unconstitutional. Suppression of democratic movement is the reason for people to adopt non-democratic methods of resistance, which is not in the interests of progress and development.” The party appealed to the Bhupesh Baghel government to withdraw its decision.
The tribal community in Silger has been holding a long-drawn protest demanding strict action against police officials involved in the firing of May 17 last year that killed three villagers, who were protesting against a new security camp. It also wants the government to set up schools and hospitals in Bastar rather than security forces’ camps.
“We must remind that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is on padayatra with a slogan ‘Bharat Jodo’ but a CPI yatra is not allowed,” the CPI statement said.
In a tweet, earlier in the week, party general secretary D. Raja said, “The Congress is leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra but its government in Chhattisgarh is not allowing the CPI to undertake a 100-km padayatra on tribal issues. The CPI is consistently raising the issues of the marginalised. The Congress should introspect to take a democratic and ideologically coherent position.”
