The Congress on Monday alleged that police forcibly entered its Maharashtra headquarters, Tilak Bhawan, in Mumbai after midnight and detained tribal students who had travelled from Nashik to protest over their demands, along with members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI).
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 Bhawan, 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 Bhawan are being detained from various places, and legal action is being taken,” Kalwaniya said.
“No one was arrested from Tilak Bhawan as is being claimed,” he added.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, in a video statement, claimed that police personnel entered the party headquarters in Dadar during the night and took some of the students into custody after threatening them.
According to Sapkal, 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.
“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.
“If the students are not released, all Congress leaders from Maharashtra will come to Mumbai and gherao 'Varsha' bungalow (CM's residence),” he said.
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.
According to the party, several students travelled to Mumbai by bus and on foot seeking the resignation of the tribal development minister and the department's commissioner, alleging that their grievances had not been addressed.
The Congress further alleged that the students were threatened with police cases and that a bus carrying them was taken into custody. It claimed that Mumbai Police stopped the students at around 3 am, photographed them and apprehended some of them.
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.
The Congress said it would not allow attempts to suppress the voices of tribal students and maintained that it stood with them in support of their demands.
“Threatening students and using police force instead of seriously considering their issues amounts to suppressing democratic values,” the party said, while condemning what it described as alleged action against students who had come to protest peacefully and democratically.
(With inputs from PTI)