Communist Party of India (M) State Secretary Badal Saroj in a letter to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has alleged that the MP Government is violating the democratic rights of the citizens. In the letter, Badal said that hurdles are being created for the CPI (M) activists by not allowing them to stick posters, take out rallies, stage protests and demonstrations. The activists are also prohibited from conducting public meetings.
In majority of the incidents occurred so far, such activities have been banned without any previous warning. The code of conduct does not impose restriction on taking out rallies and staging protest, but it only keeps the provision of giving prior information and permission mainly to avoid the clash between two opposite parties.
He stated that in present situation, it has become difficult to contest the elections. Citing few incidents, Badal said that the citizens in the State are being deprived of their democratic rights. He informed that on February 16, 2015, the State general secretaries of Students Federation of India Shailesh Bohre and Anil Doneria were arrested by two officials of Mahakal police station, Ujjain, when they were pasting posters inviting people to attend their organisation’s protest in Delhi. later, they were released at 2.30 pm.
Informing about another incident occurred in Morena, he stated that 90 per cent of the public is facing problems to use the right to contest elections. Besides, the citizens, who wished to contest panchayat polls, were forcibly bounded over by filling different forms under sections 107 and 116 of the CrPC. They were also asked to deposit security of Rs25,000 cash each, while their polling agents were also asked to give security deposit of Rs10,000. These incidents are not only illegal, but are also a clear indication of keeping the elections restricted to the elites and keeping the poor deprived.