CPI-M calls for protests after Hazare arrest

New Delhi: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Tuesday asked its units to stage nationwide protests Wednesday to denounce the arrest of Gandhian activist Anna Hazare.

“The Manmohan Singh government has attacked the democratic right to conduct peaceful protest with the ban on the hunger strike and the arrest of Hazare and his supporters in Delhi,” it said in a statement.

To protest “against this attack on democratic rights”, the party asked its units to hold demonstrations Wednesday all over the country.

Earlier, in another statement, the CPI-M said the Congress had become intolerant of “any anti-corruption movement”.

“This is an attack on the democratic rights of citizens to protest peacefully.

“It shows how the Congress leadership is intolerant to any anti-corruption movement as their government is itself steeped in high-level corruption.”

The CPI-M dubbed the official Lokpal Bill presented in parliament by the government as “weak” and “inadequate”.

“A strong popular movement has to be built up to ensure that an effective legislation is adopted by parliament,” it said.