Mumbai, Oct 11 (PTI) The protest in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park area in support of Cockroach Janta Party’s stir against CEC Gyanesh Kumar intensified on Sunday after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and MNS’ Amit Thackeray arrived with hundreds of supporters, triggering sporadic sit-ins and sloganeering amid massive police deployment.
The area saw detentions of dozens of persons, including social activist Anjali Damania, who had arrived to take part in the protest throughout the afternoon.
The Thackeray cousins, along with supporters, came to the vicinity of the iconic ground in the evening, slamming the “cowardly” and “dictatorial” BJP governments at the Centre and Maharashtra and seeking the release of those detained.
The leaders and workers of the two parties protested outside Shivaji Park police station, where most of the detainees have been taken.
Aaditya Thackeray, who was with brother Tejas Thackeray, claimed police had attacked and manhandled Shiv Sainiks, including women, outside Sena Bhavan nearby. He claimed the saree of a woman party worker got torn in the melee.
“We have appreciated Mumbai Police several times in the past (for the way they handled protests).They are acting like the Delhi Police now. If they behave like this there will be protests everywhere. Maharashtra is not going to stop and this is because of the local police,” he added.
“I am giving a call to entire Mumbai to come to Shivaji Park. This protest will not subside now. If you touch protesters, then the agitation will intensify till gaddar (Chief Election Commissioner) Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” said Aaditya, who also climbed atop a police vehicle with detained protesters inside.
He said the BJP is in so much fear that even in Mumbai they are detaining students who are protesting peacefully but fearlessly against a regime.
Earlier, in a post on X, the Worli MLA slammed the ruling dispensation and also offered support to those being detained.
“The Mumbai Police, it seems, now is being made to take orders from the very top- the very top that is hiding behind barricades of the police force. Do let us know where all you are being taken. We are coming. Also we will stand by you legally,” Thackeray said on X.
MNS leader Amit Thackeray questioned the reason behind the police detaining the protesters.
“From tomorrow our MNS activists will be there (to protest),” Amit Thackeray said.
MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande alleged that an official from the Shivaji Park Police and BJP workers were instigating Navratri mandal functionaries to attack CJP protesters. These functionaries are being promised legal support for their actions, Deshpande further alleged.
“What kind of democracy is this? You don’t give a place for people to protest and when people come to protest you will arrest them. Is the police’s job to stop riots or engineer them,” Deshpande asked.
Earlier, activist Anjali Damania was among dozens of persons detained from Shivaji Park, Worli and Dadar areas. Many of them were detained even before reaching the protest site after being identified during precautionary processes carried out ahead of such events to maintain law and order, officials added.
Damania was intercepted near the iconic ground and taken to an undisclosed location in a private vehicle, the officials said.
“As I reached Shivaji Park in support of CJP, police officers came in plainclothes and detained me. All the police personnel were in plain clothes, and I do not know where they are taking me,” Damania told PTI.
Officials said most of those detained in the vicinity have been shifted to Shivaji Park police station. Some have been taken to nearby police stations, they added.
Legal action will be taken against those who are assembling at Shivaji Park to protest without obtaining permission from authorities, a senior police official said.
The area is witnessing heavy police deployment along with barricaded roads amid efforts by authorities to ensure there are no unauthorised protests. Officials said personnel from nearby police stations have been called in to maintain law and order in Shivaji Park area.
The protest, incidentally, comes on the first day of Navratri, among the most heavily-patronised festivals in the state, requiring sizable police deployment.
On Saturday, police had detained around 600 people from various locations in Mumbai for protesting without permission in solidarity with CJP.
The CJP has been protesting against alleged irregularities in voter rolls and is seeking Chief Election Commission Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. PTI PR ZA BNM
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.