The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on February 24, 2016. THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its grave concern and anguish over the growing signs of hatred and use of violence unilaterally to intimidate individuals, groups, identities who hold views contrary to those of the perpetrators. We are shocked over the acid attack on the social activist turned AAP functionary Soni Sori in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. Sori had to be brought to Delhi for urgent medical attention and continue to be in hospital. We are outraged by the brazen violence by the mob belonging to an extreme right wing group to force a policeman, Yusuf Sheikh in Latur in Maharashtra, to be paraded and install a saffron flag in Ambedkar Chowk which was in a sensitive part of the town. As a part his call of duty he was trying to restrict these miscreants to carry out their intention which could lead to repercussions leading to law and order problem. Sheikh grievously injured and undergoing treatment in Latur has reportedly complained “I phoned the control room and appraised them about the situation. Using my mobile, I called the in-charge of the Renapur station on his cell phone. But still, they failed to send reinforcements in time. The policemen reached Pangaon by 10.10 am. By then, the mob had assaulted me brutally and humiliated me by parading me.” Similar violence was let loose on Kanhaiya Kumar and academics and journalists while he was in police custody and was being produced in the Sessions Court in the Patiala House precinct. Particularly disturbing is the inaction, complicity and failure to apprehend the perpetrators by the law enforcement agencies. It is also clear that such brazen acts which show utter disregard for laws of the land could not be spreading rapidly but for this complicit role. No doubt, the overall atmosphere in the country which smacks of intolerance, hatred and polarisation has apparently emboldened the perpetrators. We demand that the central government, particularly the prime minister, who recently claimed that he is the PM of the whole country and not just of the BJP, to come out categorically and initiate measures to stop such blatant violations of law and the constitutional principles. Citizens must be emphatically reassured that the Constitution will not be allowed to be breached.