 Hello and welcome to this clip. Today we are joined by Sita Rameshwari, the general secretary of the CPIM, whose name has been dragged into the ever-expanding probe into the Delhi riots. And his name along with that of other prominent academics and activists such as Jayati Ghosh, Yogendra Yadav, has been, is now in the statements by students and activists who were arrested as part of this probe. And the statements seem to say that she actually, along with the others, created discontent. So we're here to talk to him about it. So first of all, I wanted to ask you, what is your response to this? And what do you think is the logic of the Delhi police in making these kind of allegations and these kind of statements? Well, honestly, you can't see any logic. There's no logic in this at all. Now, we'll have to wait and see how they go into establish this link between peaceful protests against the CAA and RCLPR, with what they call Delhi riots, but it was actually Delhi communal violence. Now, in that communal violence, 56 of 53 people officially died. Now, who's responsible for that? Any charge sheets? If you're investigating that, then that's ought to have been your first priority, nothing of that sort. Then before this violence took place, there were these hate speeches, incendiary hate speeches by a union cabinet minister, by a Delhi BJP leader. And according to that time table announced by them, this violence began. Any charge sheet on that hate speech is none. So what is the police investigating? And that is where the entire, the political conspiracy aspect comes in. The police is acting directly under directions from the union home ministry. And there's a political motivation to this. It is not really the question of delivering justice, establishing the truth, but to actually act their political right. So this is what it appears from this, very clearly. And also, when they say that, no, no, he's not been charged sheeted in the defense that they're giving. Now, the question is, how did this thing come into the public domain? How did this thing appear? And this is the methodology they apply everywhere. Names appear in somebody else's, who have been statements so claimed, of abrogated, whatever it is. And on that basis, the procure orders for fraying charges, and then they're framed, and then people are arrested under UAPA, et cetera. This is the way that BIMA corrigional thing proceeded. This is the way the other things are happening. So, I mean, this is a clear cut. It's a political issue. It is a state-sponsored political maneuver, manipulation, a conspiracy, if it so be. So that is what it is. So, I mean, that is not going to stop us from exercising our right to peacefully protest on what we think are violations for the constitution. And it's not only my right, it's my duty to protect the Indian constitution. And that is something we'll do. And that's why I keep reminding them, they should learn that I belong to that generation that fought the emergency. We re-established democracy in the country, because of which they are also in government. And therefore, you understand before that, we'll fight this also. So in this context, you mentioned, of course, the Elgar Parishad case, but specifically with reference to the Delhi riots, it's clear over the past few months that, like you said, it's entirely been about the anti-CA and NRC protests and nothing to do about violence. So is this the government trying to send out a message to the people at large that, you know, if you protest this guy, is it like it has a whole investigation become a way to threaten free speech and protests? Of course, this is the way I'm trying to interpret it. That's what they're doing. Any dissent against this government is tantamount to their description of being anti-national. And therefore, the most draconian of measures, like the UAPA, the NSA, the Sedition Act, they're all invoked. That is curbing of dissent. This is an outright, large-scale authoritarian assault. And this assault is being mounted against Indian democracy and against the Indian constitution itself. And that is something that is just not acceptable. So another key question that has come out is that, what is the logic of this probe and these kinds of investigations also at a time when the country is going through one of its greatest crisis ever. You're seeing the COVID-19 numbers, of course, which are mounting day by day, every day is a new record. We are seeing the economic crisis and we're seeing, of course, more tensions as well. But everything else is put aside and as far as Delhi police is concerned, this seems to be the single. And the Home Ministry is obviously spending a lot of time on this as well. That is, I mean, it resoundingly vindicates our understanding that instead of the single-minded focus in combating this pandemic, providing relief to the people and tackling this economic crisis and other problems with the country, they are single-mindedly focused on implementing their hardcore Hindutva communal agenda. And that is what is happening all across. And that is inclusive of your, I mean, reforms for the loot of your national wealth, privatization, anti-labor laws, you know, everything, I mean, the large scale loot that is taking place. And along with that, this sort of targeting of the minorities, deepening communal polarization, and all this is their actual purpose. They are redefining the political narrative in the country. And that is changing the character of the Indian Republic, undermining this constitution. And in its place, they want to establish their fascistic order. That is the RSS objective right from their birth. And that is what is unfolding. So to help with people's sufferings, to help with the COVID pandemic, that is not of their concern, their agenda they are pursuing of transforming India, not as a secular democratic republic, but replace it with their conception of their Hindutva Rashtra. So that is, that is their primary concern. And all this is very obvious. And finally, with respect to the probe itself, we just wanted to quickly ask what have, what can or what are the demands that are being made so that a fair probe can be done into the right itself? No, first of all, let us see this basis on which they're making this linkage between the ACIA protests and the sadistic thing. No, at the present stage, what is the demand? Demand, if you want an independent probe to be done, independent agencies have done a lot of investigation, a lot of investigation and a lot of material is available. In fact, pinpointedly, who are the people involved? I mean, who are the people who actually motivated them? Who gave these hate speeches? Everything is documented. It's all there in video recording. So if you're really interested in doing it, follow all that evidence. But as I said, that is not their objective. That is not their objective, therefore we know what they're aiming at. And that is one something I want to make it very clear. That is something the Indian people never have taken it lying down. If you want to destroy a constitution, that will not be allowed. Thank you so much for speaking to us. Welcome. That's all we have time for today. Keep watching this.