The Tamil Nadu unit of CPI on Thursday condemned the arrest of two girl students, who were distributing pamphlets on the ills of methane gas and hydro carbon project in Neduvasal.

“The two – Valarmathi and Jayanthi – were distributing pamphlets among college students in Salem, when police arrested and registered cases under various sections of IPC, which is condemnable,” CPI State Secretary Mutharasan told reporters here.

The arrests were illegal, as the citizens had every rights under the Constitution to make the people know about the adverse affects of such projects, as both the governments at the Centre and Tamil Nadu, were functioning against the interests of the people, Mutharasan alleged.

He also accused that the State Government was taking such actions only to please the BJP-led Government at the Centre.

Mutharasan, here to pay homage to party veteran D. Gnaniah, who died four days ago, asked the police to withdraw all the cases against the students and release them immediately.