Indian authorities detained CPI(M) leaders and workers after protests against Enforcement Directorate raids on former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence turned violent [1, 2].

The unrest highlights the deepening friction between the central government and the CPI(M), as the party alleges that federal investigative agencies are being used for political targeting.

Protests occurred in Thiruvananthapuram, outside the former residence of Pinarayi Vijayan, and in Delhi, outside the Enforcement Directorate headquarters [1, 2]. During the demonstrations, clashes broke out between protesters and security forces. Some individuals vandalized ED vehicles, and both ED officials and Central Reserve Police Force personnel sustained injuries [1, 2].

Among those detained by police were prominent party figures, including Brinda Karat and M.A. Baby [1, 2]. The detentions occurred as the party sought to mobilize support against the central government's actions in Kerala.

Party leadership has characterized the agency's actions as a targeted campaign. M.A. Baby said, "The raid is a politically motivated act of vendetta" [1].

The events took place in May 2024, sparking widespread condemnation from party supporters who view the raids as an overreach of federal power, a claim the central government has not formally countered in these reports [1, 2].

“The raid is a politically motivated act of vendetta.”

The clashes underscore the volatile relationship between the central Indian government and regional parties like the CPI(M). By framing the Enforcement Directorate's actions as 'vendetta,' the party is attempting to pivot a legal investigation into a narrative of political persecution, which often serves to consolidate their local base in Kerala.