Press Statement
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
Condemn Raid on Shimla Party Office
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the police raid on the CPI(M) State Committee office in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. The police broke open the door and damaged furniture in the office and arrested more than a dozen people including the SFI all India President, Sivadasan. Those arrested including the SFI President were beaten in police custody.
The police action followed the severe lathicharge on a student demonstration organized by the Students Federation of India outside the assembly against fee hike. 12 students were badly injured including one who suffered fractures in the legs.
The CPI(M) strongly condemns the illegal entry into the Party office by the police without a search warrant. Chief Minister Virabhadra Singh is responsible for the repression which has been unleashed.
The Polit Bureau demands the release of all those arrested, ensuring proper treatment for the injured in the hospital and action against the police officers who were responsible for the raid on the Party office.