CHENNAI: CPM state secretary P Shanmugam on Saturday condemned the arrest of social activist Sonam Wangchuk and Abhijit Thibke by the Delhi police, accusing the Narendra Modi-led Union government of suppressing democratic protests instead of acting against those responsible for the alleged NEET question paper leak.
In a social media post, Shanmugam said the Centre had failed to take action against the "education mafia" allegedly behind the NEET paper leak, but had chosen to arrest activists who staged a peaceful protest against the issue.
He alleged that the government was attempting to silence legitimate voices of dissent through police action and "arbitrary arrests", calling it an "anti-democratic and authoritarian" approach.
Shanmugam further said the crackdown was aimed at diverting attention from the "failure" of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He urged all democratic forces across the country to unite and protest against what he described as a "cowardly act of repression."
He also asserted that the movement by protesting youth at Jantar Mantar would shake the foundations of those in power, adding that they would not be intimidated by repression.
The CPM leader demanded the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.