6 hrs ago
John Brittas Seeks Action Over Alleged Police Assault
John Brittas, a member of India’s Rajya Sabha, says police officers mistreated and assaulted him.
He alleges they took him in a police vehicle and left him by the roadside.
On Sunday, he wrote to three senior constitutional authorities asking them to intervene.
He also wants the officers held accountable and the issue of parliamentary privilege addressed.
Brittas said the incident threatens people’s ability to protest and express disagreement.
He connected it to Supreme Court directions on peaceful protest and constitutional rights issued hours earlier.
These are Brittas’s allegations and statements.
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member John Brittas wrote to the President, Vice President and Chief Justice of India on Sunday.
He alleged that police personnel manhandled and dragged him, assaulted him inside a police vehicle, and abandoned him by the roadside.
Brittas sought urgent intervention, accountability for the police personnel and action concerning parliamentary privilege.
He described the alleged incident as an assault on democratic freedoms and the rule of law.
Brittas said the incident occurred within hours of Supreme Court directions to safeguard peaceful protest and constitutional rights.
- Who
- John Brittas, a CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member, made the allegations and wrote to senior constitutional authorities.
- What
- He alleged police manhandled and assaulted him, and sought intervention, accountability and action concerning parliamentary privilege.
- Where
- He alleged that he was assaulted in a police vehicle and abandoned by the roadside; the article does not specify a location.
- When
- He wrote the letters on Sunday; he said the incident happened within hours of Supreme Court directions on peaceful protest and constitutional rights.
- Why
- He sought urgent intervention and accountability, describing the alleged assault as a threat to democratic freedoms and the rule of law.
Brittas’s allegations
Police response
Alleged treatment by police
Brittas’s allegations
Brittas alleged that police personnel manhandled and dragged him, assaulted him in a vehicle and abandoned him by the roadside.
Police response
The article provides no response from police or other authorities.
Implications for democratic freedoms
Brittas’s allegations
Brittas characterized the alleged incident as an assault on democratic freedoms and the rule of law, and said dissent should not be suppressed.
Police response
The article does not include a counterview from the government or police.
Key facts
- Person
- John Brittas, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member
- Letters addressed to
- The President, Vice President and Chief Justice of India
- Date of letters
- Sunday
- Allegation
- Brittas said police manhandled and dragged him, assaulted him in a police vehicle and abandoned him by the roadside.
- Requests
- Urgent intervention, accountability for police personnel and action concerning parliamentary privilege
- Related court directions
- Brittas said the alleged incident occurred within hours of Supreme Court directions on peaceful protest and constitutional rights.
Quotes
John Brittas
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member who posted the statement on X.
“The Government cannot intimidate democracy into silence. It cannot substitute the force of the baton for the force of debate. And it shouldn’t expect the people to surrender their constitutional freedoms merely because those in power find dissent inconvenient. The strength of a democracy lies not in its capacity to suppress dissent, but in its ability to address it.”
indianexpress.com
“This is not merely an assault on an MP. It is an assault on democratic freedoms and the rule of law. More chillingly, it happened within hours of the Supreme Court issuing directions to safeguard peaceful protest and constitutional rights.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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