KITU Leaders Arrested Ahead of December 21 Rally

Bengaluru: In a bid to suppress the protest by IT workers against the Karnataka government’s anti-people policies, the Congress government has arrested key leaders, attempting to derail the movement. During the promotional activities for the mass protest scheduled on December 21, Chitra Bhanu and Suhas Adiga, members of the CPI M IT Front local committee, were taken into police custody.

The mass protest is being organised under the leadership of KITU, the association of IT workers in Bengaluru. Arresting leaders involved in promoting the workers’ movement forms part of a wider strategy to use the police to curb popular struggles. KITU has warned that such anti-democratic measures cannot break the movement.

In a statement, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemned the arrests, noting that both Chitra Bhanu and Suhas Adiga have been at the forefront of highlighting the challenges faced by IT sector workers, including increasing work hours, and mobilising action on people’s issues. Both comrades were arrested last night and have yet to be released, with no one being allowed to meet them.

The CPI M statement emphasised that the Congress government’s attempt to stifle people’s voices through authoritarian measures cannot deter the struggle for justice. Instead, it will only strengthen the resolve to resist draconian, anti-people policies.