New Delhi [India], October 9 (ANI): Communist Party of India (CPI) in the Upper House on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the immediate reopening of Jantar Mantar and an end to state-sponsored repression against peaceful protesters.
The letter highlighted growing public outrage over alleged electoral malpractices, accusing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of wrongdoings and demanding his resignation.
Highlighting constitutional guarantees under Article 19, the CPI MP called out the government's heavy-handed tactics, including police manhandling of women MPs, mass detentions, and train cancellations across the country.
"I wish to make it categorically clear that turning Delhi into a military cantonment will not deter us... The right to peaceful assembly is a constitutional guarantee, not a privilege to be granted or withdrawn at the government's discretion," wrote Kumar.
The letter comes as the capital faces an extraordinary security lockdown triggered by widespread public fury and legal scrutiny surrounding Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Describing the situation as a de facto "state of emergency," MP Sandosh Kumar painted a grim picture of Central Delhi, where over 47,000 security personnel have been deployed to block access to historic protest grounds like Jantar Mantar.
He said that rather than engaging in dialogue, the government has responded with severe police tactics, barricades, lathis, house arrests, and mass detentions. Female lawmakers and student activists alike have faced police manhandling while attempting to exercise their constitutional rights.
"We will raise our voice. No amount of barricading, intimidation, or repression can take away our fundamental right to protest," wrote Kumar.
The repression is not confined to the capital’s borders. The letter highlighted a sweeping nationwide operation to intercept citizens heading toward Delhi. Activists are being arrested and detained more than 1,000 kilometres away, while inbound trains face sudden cancellations to prevent peaceful assemblies.
For millions of daily commuters in Delhi, the government’s refusal to allow a designated protest space has transformed everyday life into a nightmare. Widespread traffic gridlock, closed metro stations, and pervasive state surveillance have choked the city.
Invoking Article 19 of the Indian Constitution, the CPI leader reminded the Prime Minister that the freedom to assemble peacefully is a fundamental right guaranteed to every citizen, student, and elected representative, not a discretionary favour to be granted or revoked at the state's whim.
The MP concluded by urging the Prime Minister to open Jantar Mantar immediately, resume full metro operations, release detained activists, and respect fundamental democratic rights.
"Do not make us protest just to secure the right to a protest site," Sandosh Kumar warned, urging the government to choose accountability and democratic dialogue over silence and force. (ANI)
"Turning Delhi into cantonment will not deter us": CPI MP Sandosh Kumar writes letter to PM Modi, demands access to Jantar Mantar
