Delhi Resembles a War Zone, Alleges MP John Brittas as Detained Leaders Driven Around the City in Police Vehicles

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas on Saturday accused Delhi Police of treating the capital like a war zone after he, former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and K N Balagopal were taken into custody, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had effectively declared war on the people.

Brittas said the three were put into police vehicles and driven around the city before being moved toward distant locations, without being told their destination. He questioned why a senior national leader who served a decade as Keralam’s chief minister was being treated in this manner, and alleged that police were blocking not only protesters but also ordinary citizens from reaching Jantar Mantar. He further claimed officers had entered his residence at night to ask whether anyone besides him was staying there, leaving only after he objected strongly. He said he had never seen such an approach from Delhi Police or central forces, alleging that personnel, including some brought from Kashmir, had been deployed, with more than 40,000 security personnel stationed in the capital.

Earlier, CPI(M) leaders, including General Secretary M A Baby, state secretary M V Govindan, K K Shailaja, P K Sreemathy, MP Sivadasan and P Rajeev, were detained soon after leaving Kerala House for Jantar Mantar. They alleged that they were taken away in a prison-style van where they could not stand upright, and that Baby and Sreemathy were dragged during the detention, with Sreemathy falling in the scuffle.

Rajeev said a group of 15 detained leaders had been driven around Delhi for nearly an hour in a compartmentalised vehicle, with no clarity on where they were headed, and that several people were injured. Delhi Police have not responded to the allegations.