Over 5,000 Join Student-Led Tricolour Protest At Mumbai's Shivaji Park Demanding Education Reforms

· Free Press Journal

Mumbai: Thousands of Mumbaikars returned to Dadar's Shivaji Park to join the nationwide protest demanding educational reforms in the country. The fifth consecutive day of the protest saw more than 5,000 people – mostly youngsters – join the demonstration and sing the national anthem while waving the tricolour. Meanwhile, the police booked five people for violating prohibitory orders for participating in a demonstration at Tilak Nagar.

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Friday marked the fifth day for the ongoing nationwide protests, demanding resignation of the union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET paper leak, justice for student protesters who faced police action on Monday during Sansad Chalo march and larger educational reforms. The students from different parts of Mumbai have also echoed the sentiments of Jantar Mantar and joined the spontaneous protests at Shivaji Park daily.

On Friday, more than 5,000 people joined a peaceful Tricolour protest near the Masaheb Minatai Thackeray statue at Shivtirth near Shivaji Park, organised by Vidyarthi-Yuva Sena. Citizens gathered at the venue from 4pm onwards and registered their protest by singing the national anthem while waving the Indian tricolour and placards, occupying roads leading to the protest site. Although the protest was supposed to be dispersed after the national anthem, protesters continued to remain at the site and raise slogans until 7pm.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, MLA Aaditya Thackeray, and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray also attended the protest, drawing significant public attention. However, several students participating in the agitation clarified that the protest was not in support of any political party but was solely aimed at demanding reforms in the education system and accountability over the alleged paper leak.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) continued its ‘Ek Sahi Pathinbyachi’ (One Signature of Support) campaign in Mumbai to express solidarity with the students' movement. The campaign reached Shivaji Park, where MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande appealed to citizens to participate in large numbers. Against the backdrop of the ongoing protests, he also visited the Wadala TT police station to extend support to students who had been detained by the police.

Mumbai Police deployed heavy security in view of the demonstration. Additional Commissioner of Police Vikram Deshmane, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Deepali Dhate, and other senior officers from Shivaji Park and Dadar police divisions remained present at the venue. Senior officials continuously monitored crowd management, traffic arrangements, and the protest route.

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Meanwhile, according to the police, demonstrations were held on July 24 in the jurisdictions of Tilak Nagar, Santacruz, and Shivaji Park police stations. At Tilak Nagar Police Station, legal action was initiated against five persons and other protesters for allegedly violating prohibitory orders. Police also kept a close watch on demonstrations held at other locations.

The Shivaji Park protest marked one of the largest student-led demonstrations in Mumbai in recent weeks, with participants demanding transparency, accountability, protection of students' democratic rights, and reforms in the education system. Police maintained a strong security presence throughout the day, and no major untoward incidents were reported during the gathering.

Voices

Ankit Pandey, a businessman who came from Goa to participate in the protest, said he plans to travel to Delhi next to join the ongoing students' agitation. Speaking "I want to participate in the agitation and become a voice for students. Sonam Wangchuk's leadership has given momentum to this movement. I have concerns about prime minister Narendra Modi. He has not held a single press conference after holding the office. In a democracy, accountability is essential. If India wants to progress like other developed nations, education must be the top priority."

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Janhavi Pejale, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) graduate, said the movement should continue despite Wangchuk ending his fast. "At Jantar Mantar, students were treated like terrorists even though they were only exercising their democratic rights. There may have been some miscreants but that cannot justify treating all students as criminals. This movement is not only about the NEET issue; several other issues affecting people also need to be highlighted," she said.

Sheetal, a commerce graduate from Powai, expressed a more cautious approach. "The prime minister has assured strict action against those responsible for examination paper leaks. We should give the government some time to act. If nothing changes, we can always return to the streets and protest again," she said.

Engineering diploma student Ubada Parvesh Kazi from Govandi stressed that peaceful protest is a constitutional and democratic right. "The government should allow students to protest peacefully instead of preventing them from assembling. Peaceful demonstrations are part of a healthy democracy," Kazi said.

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Meanwhile, Adv Sagar Devre, representing a few student protesters, said he served a legal notice to the Maharashtra Home Department, and various officials of the Mumbai Police on July 23, alleging illegal detention of students, including minors and kept detained women even after 6 pm.

"Hundreds of students were detained during the ongoing protests, many for six to seven hours. Several of them were below 18 years of age. Under the law, FIR copies must be made available online within 24 hours, but even after 48 hours, many FIRs had not been uploaded. Female students were allegedly kept in police stations after 6pm and several students received police notices late at night through messages. We have issued legal notices regarding these violations and will be approaching the Bombay High Court,” he said.

Navi Mumbaikars March At Vashi Mini Seashore Demanding Justice For Students

The protests are not confined to the city but are growing widespread across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. In Navi Mumbai's Vashi, students-led march at Vashi Mini Seashore on Friday witnessed an overwhelming response, with nearly 1,000 people participating to pay tribute to the 21 students who allegedly lost their lives in connection with the NEET paper leak crisis and to demand justice for them. Carrying placards and raising slogans demanding justice for the students, participants marched peacefully along the Vashi Mini Seashore.

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The organisers, who had clarified that the protest was completely non-partisan, had expected around 100 participants but witnessed a large turnout due to word-of-mouth publicity and messages circulated through social media.

"We just wanted to pay respect to those students who lost their lives. Though we received an overwhelming response, everything remained peaceful. It was an issue that needed to be talked about and hence we decided to organise the march. Most importantly, we were not supported or backed by any political party," said one of the organisers Manish Chavan.

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