Mumbai: In a sign that the tribal students’ protests in Maharashtra may escalate further, the Maharashtra Congress on Monday alleged that tribal students protesting against the State Government were arrested from the party’s Mumbai headquarters.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal and MP Varsha Gaikwad claimed that hundreds of tribal students – who had walked or travelled from Nashik to protest poor ashram school amenities and delayed scholarships – were targeted after being offered shelter at the party office. They demanded the resignation of Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike and the department’s commissioner.
Sapkal claimed that police personnel entered the party headquarters ‘Tilak Bhavan’ in Dadar during the night and took some of the students into custody after threatening them.
According to him, tribal students who had marched from Nashik to Mumbai to stage a protest at Azad Maidan had stayed overnight at Tilak Bhawan. He claimed that NSUI state president Sagar Salunkhe and the Mumbai head of the Congress youth wing were also arrested.
Sapkal alleged that police threatened the students and took some into custody. “It is a serious matter if the police, who are responsible for maintaining law and order, themselves violate the law,” he said.
“Police entering the Congress headquarters in such an illegal manner and taking action against the students is a sign of high-handedness. The arrested tribal students and NSUI office-bearers should be released immediately,” Sapkal said.
He warned that Maharashtra Congress leaders would gherao Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ official residence ‘Varsha,’ if the students were not released.
The Congress said the tribal students had been protesting for more than 10 days over various demands concerning the tribal development department, including scholarships and basic amenities in ashram schools and hostels.
However, the police denied the allegation, saying no one was arrested from Tilak Bhawan.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Manish Kalwaniya said protesters had called for a march to Lok Bhavan, the Governor’s residence, and those planning to take part in the march were being detained from various locations.
“The protesters who were planning to go to Lok Bhavan are being detained from various places and legal action is being taken. No one was arrested from Tilak Bhawan as is being claimed,” he added.
The BJP too claimed that the police neither detained nor arrested a single tribal student in Mumbai. BJP chief spokesperson Navnath Ban said, “Chief Minister Fadnavis held discussions with the delegation of tribal students and as their demands were accepted, the delegation set out on their return journey to Nashik. The Congress is playing with the lives of tribal students to serve its own political interests.”
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