CPI(M) POLIT Bureau Member, Prakash Karat said that the Supreme Court's verdict upholding broad powers for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act will have far-reaching consequences. The central government can use ED to trample democracy and civil rights. ED's actions against opposition parties, human rights activists and media will become more severe with the Supreme Court verdict. Prakash Karat said that Teesta Setalvad and R B Sreekumar have been jailed in a false case by the Gujarat Police consequent to the verdict in the Supreme Court on an appeal by Zakia Jaffrey.

Prakash Karat was inaugurating a public gathering in Ernakulam Town Hall organised by the EMS Study and Research Centre on July 28. The Convention was held for Protection of Civil Liberties and to demand the release of Teesta Setalvad, Sanjeev Bhatt and R B Sreekumar.

A three-member bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar, who had ruled in the Gujarat case, had also ruled in the ED case. The verdict in the ED case was on the eve of his retirement. The Supreme Court is increasingly behaving like an executive court. Even the collegium, which appoints judges, has been put under pressure by the central government. Karat said that judges should not succumb to such pressures and act according to the Constitution. Prakash Karat said that the Supreme Court's verdict in the Zakia Jaffrey case, which penalised the petitioners,  is one of the worst judgments in the history of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has become part of the executive by judging the complainants as criminals without hearing them.

The BJP is striving for an opposition-free India, suppressing all opposition voices. The way Parliament is being muzzled is outrageous with 24 opposition MPs suspended, he said.

The Congress is unable  to oppose the BJP's communal agenda and tends to compromise  with it. The CPI (M) and Left parties are the only ones exposing the communal agenda of the Sangh Parivar. This is because it has a strong stance against communalism. Karat said that although the CPI(M) is a small party in Delhi, it was able to stop the bulldozers in Jehangirpuri.

Research centre chairman, C N Mohanan presided over the meeting. State minister, P Rajeev also spoke in the meeting.