CPI-M condemns Army Chief's statement on protests against CAA

The Communist Party of India--Marxist (CPI-M) has condemned the statement of Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Rawat on Thursday said that leaders are not those who spearhead the people in "inappropriate directions" and stressed that leading masses and crowds to carry out arson and violence in cities and towns is not leadership.

"The General has directly indulged in condemning the student protestors, who have been opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act and the move towards creating the National Register for Citizens across the country," said the CPI-M in a statement.

"The Army Chief's statement underlines as to how the situation has degenerated under the Modi government where the highest officer in uniform can so brazenly breach the limits of his institutional role," added the politbureau of CPI-M.

"It is, therefore, necessary to raise the question as to whether we are going the Pakistan way of politicising the military. Such obnoxious interference in matters of democratic struggles from top-ranking military professionals is unheard of in the history of independent India," added the statement.

"Leaders are not those who lead the people in an inappropriate direction. As we are witnessing a large number of universities and colleges, students, the way they are leading masses and crowds to carry out arson and violence in cities and towns, this is not leadership," the Army chief had said.

"Leadership is all about leading. Therefore, what is so complex about leadership if it is all about leading because when you move forward, everybody follows. It is not that simple," he had said.

Several parts of the country have witnessed a spate of protests over the CAA, many of which have turned violent. A lot of these demonstrations have taken place in several colleges and universities across the country.