Mumbai (PTI): Police detained several protesters in central Mumbai on Monday as they gathered at Chaityabhoomi, the cremation place of B. R. Ambedkar, to express solidarity with activist Sonam Wangchuk and the 'Sansad Chalo' march of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
Protests were also staged at multiple locations in the city demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
At Shivaji Park, demonstrations were held near Chaityabhoomi. A protester said some of them were arrested even before reaching the site.
NCP (SP) activists protested outside Mumbai University demanding Pradhan's resignation and to support Wangchuk.
Opposition leaders accused authorities of curbing the democratic right to protest.
As police removed the demonstrators from Chaityabhoomi, they raised slogans against the Union government and alleged that the Maharashtra government had denied them permission to hold a peaceful protest. Some women protesters also shouted slogans against the ruling BJP.
Fahad Ahmed, who contested the Maharashtra assembly election on an NCP (SP) ticket, was among those detained by the police.
Speaking to reporters from a police van, Ahmed alleged that the state government had suppressed the protesters' constitutional rights.
"The Maharashtra Chief Minister describes himself fondly as Devabhau, but he is not letting protesters exercise their fundamental right. The constitutional rights are being ignored. Like Delhi, the students here were also beaten up. This protest will widen further," he said.
Asked whether the protest had any political affiliation, Ahmed said, "There are no left-wing or right-wing; all are students."
Former Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister T S Singh Deo told PTI that students had every right to protest in a democracy.
"It is good that students are protesting for their rights. In a democracy, people should have the right to express their views," he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said young Indians protesting at Chaityabhoomi were detained by the police and taken to Mahim Police Station for gathering peacefully.
"Apparently there are orders from the 'top'. Our MLA @iamMaheshSawant ji and other Shiv Sainiks and Yuva Sainiks have reached the police station a while ago, and will stand by these young Indians, protesting against the brute force used by the BJP regime in Delhi today.
"All thay @Wangchuk66 @abhijeet_dipke are asking for is the resignation of the incompetent Mantri Pradhan," he said.
What is in Pradhan that the regime has unleashed such brute force against the entire youth of this country, to save him, Thackeray said.
In a post on X late Monday night, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said the protesters have been detained.
Some were chased away by the police. They later staged a protest near a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena shakha nearby.
Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare said the protesters were not affiliated with any political party and described it as a sign of growing anger among the youth.
"These youth who are protesting are not from any political party. It is an important thing. It means youth are extremely angry. The way police treated students in Delhi, it is unfortunate and condemnable," she said.
NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar compared the police action with colonial-era repression and criticised the government over the alleged lathicharge on protesters.
"The British had lathicharged people who were protesting peacefully. The current regime is more cruel and inhumane than British rule. I condemn the government that gave orders for lathicharge," Pawar said in a social media post.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
