CHENNAI: DMK president MK Stalin has termed the detention of political leaders and student activists protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as an undeclared emergency, alleging that the Union BJP government was suppressing democratic protests.
In a statement, Stalin alleged that former Chief Ministers Pinarayi Vijayan, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and Manik Sarkar, along with CPM general secretary MA Baby and leaders of various student organisations, had been detained while protesting to protect people's voting rights.
He criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for remaining in office with Z plus security while those protesting against the SIR exercise were being detained.
Stalin alleged that the protests had exposed a conspiracy behind the SIR exercise and criticised the restrictions imposed in Delhi, including barricading and internet shutdowns. He said such measures would not suppress the protests by young people across the country.
Turning his criticism towards the TVK-led alliance government, Stalin alleged it was trying to appease the Union government by detaining CPM state secretary P Shanmugam and other activists protesting the SIR exercise and demanding the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation.
Stalin demanded the immediate release of all those detained, the removal of Gyanesh Kumar from office, a halt to the SIR exercise and accountability for those responsible for what he described as a betrayal of the people's interests.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin condemned the arrest of youths who staged a peaceful protest in Besant Nagar demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Udhayanidhi accused the TVK government of suppressing democratic dissent and demanded the immediate release of the arrested protesters.
He questioned why the Chief Minister was acting against the protesters when their agitation had received support from various quarters, including some parties which support the Vijay government from the outside.