CPI(M) condemns police crackdown on Secretariat staff

The Andhra Pradesh unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has condemned the police action against the Village and Ward Secretariat employees who gathered in Vijayawada on Sunday to press for their demands and urged the state government to immediately initiate talks with their representatives and address their grievances.

In a statement on Monday, party state secretary V Srinivasa Rao said workers who had come to Vijayawada under the ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ program were harassed, assaulted and arrested instead of being allowed to stage a peaceful protest. He also argued against suspending employees for participating in the protest.

The CPI(M) leader said the workers had sought permission for the protest 10 days in advance, but the police had not granted the permission. When they assembled near Dharna Chowk, the police allegedly forcibly removed and arrested them. The party also alleged that female employees were dragged and taken to police vehicles.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao said the government should lift the suspensions imposed on the leaders of the Joint Forum of Village and Ward Secretariat Employees and drop any proposal to register cases against those who participated in the Chalo Vijayawada scheme.

The government issued a cabinet order to provide promotion opportunities to employees in some cadres, which he said was welcome, but several other issues remained outstanding. The government should discuss all outstanding issues with the labor unions and take steps to resolve them, he added.

The CPI(M) leader alleged that successive governments have failed to address the grievances of the workers since their recruitment under the previous government, forcing them to take to the streets. She called on the government to stop what she described as coercive measures and open a dialogue with workers’ representatives.

Published – 28 Sep 2026 20:20 IST