Mumbai, July 21 (IANS) Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray will meet and interact with students protesting in Delhi on Wednesday, party leader Aaditya Thackeray announced. Aaditya Thackeray also assured that Shiv Sena (UBT) will provide complete legal assistance to student protesters who have received police notices or are facing legal action.
Several young students were injured after police baton-charged those protesting against the NEET paper leak at Jantar Mantar. Uddhav Thackeray will meet these students in person to understand their concerns and position. Clarifying the party’s stance, Aaditya Thackeray stated that Shiv Sena has supported the students’ movement from the beginning and fully backs their legitimate demands. He added that Uddhav Thackeray was among the first to extend support to the protest led by environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Emphasising that the party consistently stands by democratic protests, Aaditya Thackeray noted that Uddhav Thackeray’s visit to meet the protesting students in Delhi is a continuation of that commitment. Highlighting that many students are participating in Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike, he accused the government of resorting to repression instead of dialogue when protesters marched towards Parliament. He remarked that during Anna Hazare’s agitation, government ministers stepped forward for discussions, but today not a single minister is willing to talk to the students.
Referring to a peaceful protest at Chaityabhoomi in Dadar, where students were detained by the police, Aaditya Thackeray alleged that cases have been registered against several students.
He claimed that the Modi government unleashed a baton charge on protesters marching towards Parliament, leading to numerous arrests and legal notices. He further stated that over a hundred students were detained at a police station today as well, and party colleagues had gone there to assist them.
To support affected students, Shiv Sena (UBT) has launched a dedicated email address, shivsenaubtlegal@gmail.com, for any student who has received a legal notice or faces registered charges. Aaditya Thackeray also appealed to lawyers across the state to handle these students’ legal cases free of charge.
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT), in a scathing editorial published in party mouthpiece Saamana, accused the Central Government of shielding incompetent ministers and destroying the nation. It characterised the growing youth protests hitting the streets across the country as the start of a “revolution” demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation. Roars of “Dictatorship will not be tolerated” and “Modi, quit power” are echoing through the streets. Reflecting the widespread public unrest, thousands of youth marched towards Parliament. Despite facing tear gas canisters and heavy police lathi-charge, the editorial noted that the youth refused to back down, rattling the administration.
The editorial attributed the spark of this mass agitation to remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who reportedly referred to unemployed youth as “cockroaches”.
It stated that while the youth were previously forced to live in despair, lacking jobs, housing, and dignity, they are now proving their resilience and taking to the streets to demand accountability. The editorial remarked that the youth were living in Modi’s India, believing “this is our destiny and Modi is our God”, while in reality their lives, devoid of jobs, work, homes, and dignity, had become like those of cockroaches. However, cockroaches are known to survive even in the harshest conditions. Scientists believe that when the world comes to an end, the cockroach will be among the few living beings left alive. Now, PM Modi and his government have begun to fear these very “cockroaches”, it added.
The editorial highlighted environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk’s 20-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar as a rallying point for the movement. Comparing his fast to genuine sacrifice, it criticised the ruling party leadership, alleging that their arrogance crumbled only when Wangchuk’s condition deteriorated and he had to be hospitalised.
The agitation has spread rapidly beyond the national capital, with large-scale demonstrations reported at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park under the leadership of Aaditya Thackeray, as well as in Pune and Nagpur.
--IANS
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