Bengal Rigging: Nationwide Protests

Responding to the call given by Left parties for nationwide protests against widespread violence, terror and rigging in the Lok Sabha in West Bengal and demanding repoll in all the affected booths, protest demonstrations and dharnas were held in state capitals and district headquarters across the country today.

In Uttar Pradesh a joint protest was held by the CPI(M) and the CPI in Lucknow. A procession was taken out from the CPI(M) office which marched to the Vidhan Sabha. Here the protesters were addressed by CPI(M) state Secretary S.P. Kashyap and CPI district Secretary Mohd. Khalid.

In Jharkhand reports are coming in of protest demonstrations organized in all district headquarters of the state. In Ranchi a procession was taken out jointly by the CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc and JD(U).  The procession which began from the CPI(M) office in Ranchi culminated in the Albert Ekta chowk in the city after passing through the main thoroughfares of the city.

Joint protest demonstrations were held in various districts of Haryana. Workers belonging to CPI(M) and CPI assembled in Chhotu Ram Park at Rohtak and took out a procession. At the meeting which followed, CPI(M) State Secretary, Inderjit Singh and others condemned the violence by the TMC in Bengal. Protests were also organized in Fatehabad, Tohana, Hisar, Jind Faridabad, Gurgaon, Panipat, Karnal, Sonipat, Mewat, Bhiwani and Sirsa.

Reports are coming in of protest programmes behind held at various centres in Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and other states.

May 14, 2014 (7.00 p.m.)