On Thursday, the Mumbai Police took students into preventive custody after protests over canceling an event erupted. Gujarat Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani and JNU Student Leader Umar Khalid were expected to attend the event. Mevani and Khalid were going to address the students at the All India National Students Summit 2018 conducted at Mithibai College Auditorium in Vile Parle, Mumbai. The Police officials reported the protesting students were taken to the Goregaon and Juhu Police Station.
To enforce law and order, the Local Administration imposed Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code around the college area. This was done to stop any unlawful gathering that could lead to a protest. The organizer of the event, Chhatra Bharati has said they will defy the police and continue with the scheduled programme. On Wednesday, Mumbai witnessed violence and protests following a Maharashtra Bandh called by the grandson of B. R. Ambedkar, Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh President Prakash Ambedkar.
Chhatra Bharti is the Student Wing of Lok Bharati, a socio political group. Apart from Mevani and Khalid, the event planned to host Richa Singh of Allahabad, Bedabrata Gogoi of Assam and Pradeep Narwal of Haryana.
Earlier, the Pune Police had received a complaint registered against Mevani and Khalid for a provocative speech at the Bhima Koregaon event on the 31st of December. Mevani and Khalid were at the Elgar Parishad, an event organized to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon war. Akshay Bikkad and Anand Dhond alleged Mevani and Khalid made provocative comments at the event.
The two locals, Bikkad and Dhond registered a complaint at the Deccan Gymkhana Police Station. They gave an application demanding a case against Mevani and Khalid for promoting enmity between communities.
The complaint read, “Mevani provoked the people to come out on the streets and retaliate. Due to this statement, people took to the streets and tension gripped the city.”
On the 1st of January violence broke out in Pune district during the bicentenary celebrations. The Dalit groups taking an annual trek to commemorate the British victory in Bhima Koregaon Battle were faced by a Hindu extremist group. The extremist group detested the Dalits for celebrating the British victory leading to a clash between the two groups. The violence spread to Mumbai and then an official bandh was announced on the 3rd of January.
