Congress calls Maha govt ‘anti-tribal’ over detention of protesting students

• Congress party said Mumbai Police forcibly entered its office and arrested hundreds of tribal students who had travelled from Nashik to protest

• The students are demanding better conditions in tribal residential schools, action on scholarships and hostel facilities, and the tribal development minister’s resignation

• The party condemned the police action, calling the Maharashtra government “anti-tribal” and accusing it of trying to silence students

Congress on Monday condemned Mumbai Police action of forcibly entering its office and detaining hundreds of tribal students who had travelled from Nashik to protest against poor conditions in tribal residential schools and other unresolved grievances.

The party said it had offered the students accommodation because they had nowhere to stay in Mumbai. In a post on X, the Congress party claimed police had been arresting students since the previous night, first at Azad Maidan and subsequently at the party office.

Condemning the action, Congress accused the BJP-led Maharashtra government of displaying an “anti-tribal” attitude and attempting to silence young people through police pressure.

The students have been protesting for more than ten days, according to the party. Their demands concern scholarships, basic amenities in ashram schools and hostels, and the resignation of the tribal development minister and the department’s commissioner.

Several students reached Mumbai on foot from Nashik, while others travelled by bus to join the protest.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal said students who had marched to Mumbai were staying at Tilak Bhavan, the party’s office. He accused police personnel of entering the premises since midnight, threatening students and attempting to forcibly take them into custody.

Sapkal demanded that police stop what he described as unlawful entry into the office and the intimidation of students.

Congress also claimed that students had been threatened with police cases and that a bus carrying them had been taken into custody. Targeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the party said the government should address their grievances rather than use force against them.

Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh joined the criticism in a post on X, describing the state’s “double engine” government as “Adivasi-virodhi”, or anti-tribal.

The party pledged support for the students, asserting that arrests and threats would not silence their demands.

According to the Maharashtra Congress, police stopped students early on Monday before they could stage a protest at Azad Maidan. The party said the students had been protesting for more than ten days over scholarships and the lack of basic amenities in ashram schools and hostels.

Students travelled from Nashik by bus and on foot to press their demands, including the resignation of the tribal development minister and the department’s commissioner, whom they blamed for failing to resolve their grievances.

Congress claimed that students were threatened with police cases and that a bus carrying them was taken into custody. It expressed support for their demands and criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying the use of threats and police force undermined democratic rights.

Sapkal claimed police personnel had been entering the premises since midnight, threatening students and trying to take them into custody.

He demanded an immediate halt to what he described as unlawful entry into the office and attempts to intimidate and forcibly detain the students.

With PTI inputs