The Mumbai Police booked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)’s Amit Thackeray on Monday, a day after they led a sit-in demanding chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have announced another round of agitation on Monday at 4pm.
He added the protesters were fighting against dictatorship and attempts to suppress dissent.
“The action against protesters at August Kranti Maidan yesterday [Saturday] and Shivaji Park today [Sunday] was not expected of the Mumbai Police,” he said. Aaditya Thackeray announced that the agitation against Kumar would continue on Monday.
He maintained that the protest was not political and was intended to support citizens raising concerns about the electoral system. At least 300 people were detained before Amit Thackeray arrived, stopped a police van carrying protesters, and ensured that they got down before he got detained. A police officer said the Thackerays and at least 25 others were booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, section 189 (unlawful assembly) and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Police Act.
On Sunday, police refused to allow any demonstration as the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) called for a “farewell party” for Kumar. “This is a protest by Bharat against the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party], which is suppressing the voice of the people,” he said. “It is a fight against traitor Gyanesh Kumar and will continue until he resigns.”
