CPI(M) today condemned the "brutal" lathicharge on Left workers in Kolkata and urged "democratic minded" people to raise their voices against attempts to "muzzle" democratic dissent in West Bengal.
"The politburo condemns the brutal lathicharge on peaceful protesters in Kolkata on October 1. It also condemns use of male policemen to attack the women who were participating in the procession.
"The party appeals to all democratic minded people to raise their voices against the attempts to muzzle democratic dissent in the state of West Bengal," CPI(M) said in a statement.
The CPI(M) claimed that male policemen attacked women protesters during the rally in which Central Committee Member Dipak Dasgupta and RSP leader Sukumar Ghosh were injured in the "unprovoked" and "merciless" lathicharge.
Several Left activists injured when the demonstrators clashed with police during a protest-march to the city police headquarters yesterday.
Cops had resorted to lathicharge at Ganesh Chandra Avenue where the protesters broke barricades during the "march to Lalbazar" programme to protest against alleged police atrocity against people and their democratic rights.
A senior police officer said several police personnel were injured when Left workers resorted to brick batting and stone-pelting.
