Mumbai, Jul 23 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray on Thursday announced a morcha on July 26 to convey the “angst” of students and their parents for the alleged police atrocities against protesters and the NEET paper leak, which has triggered widespread protests.
Addressing a news conference, Uddhav said the government is ruthless but students are no longer afraid of anyone.
“Will the prime minister take responsibility for policemen who assaulted students and tore the clothes of women protesters? People want to express years of pent-up anger, and we are providing an outlet,” he said.
Uddhav said he had spoken to Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, about their protest and leaders from the Maharashtra Congress will take part in it. Sena (UBT) and Congress are part of the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi in the state.
Raj Thackeray said the morcha will begin from Shivaji Park in Dadar and culminate at the Siddhivinayak temple in the Prabhdevi area. He said they will offer prayers to Lord Ganesh at the temple to “instil some sense in the government”.
No political flags will be displayed during the protest, he said.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president said the government has gone on the back foot as the students’ agitation has assumed massive proportions. “We will thrash anyone who tries to disrupt our peaceful protest in Mumbai on July 26,” he said.
The two leaders said the morcha has been called to “convey the angst” of students and their parents for the alleged police atrocities against protesters and the NEET paper leak.
Mumbai has been witnessing protests in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party-led students’ agitation in New Delhi.
Delhi police lobbed tear gas shells and wielded sticks on Parliament Street on Monday as thousands of CJP protesters marched towards Parliament to push for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak.
The CJP has accused security personnel of using excessive force against protesters during its “Sansad Chalo” march, alleging that several students were injured.
Uddhav also took a dig at Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for declining the urgent listing of a plea challenging police action against students in Delhi and asking the petitioner “not to waste time”.
“Women protesters said their clothes were torn. Students said they were beaten up with sticks with rusted nails.
“The judiciary has the time to look into the issues related to dogs and cats. But they do not have the time to look at ‘cockroaches’ (youth). The condition of the judiciary is like Droupadi seeking justice from Dhritarashtra,” Uddhav said.
The former Maharashtra chief minister said that, to the people, the government does not appear to be their own. He claimed that the government is behaving cruelly.
The anger among people is no longer restricted to the NEET paper leak but anger accumulated over the years, he said.
It all started with the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, but after students were brutally beaten, the issue is no longer restricted to him and has extended to the prime minister, said Raj.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi said in a tweet that the welfare of the country’s youth is the top priority of his government and asserted that anyone trying to harm their future will not be spared.
Raj said the PM’s tweet makes no sense. If the government had held discussions, the issue would not have spiralled this way, he said.
“It was a very simple question. When the BJP was in the opposition, it sought the resignation of so many ministers. When you take responsibility for any position, you must own up to failure. This has been the demand of the students,” Raj said.
Referring to the farmers’ protests a few years ago, the MNS chief said the government was not ready to talk then as well. “Why this arrogance of power?” he asked. PTI PR VT NR
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