Mumbai: A ruckus has erupted once again over the hoisting of Aurangzeb’s portrait at the CJP protest demonstration at Dadar Chetana Bhoomi in Mumbai, which has further escalated the situation, while politics has now started under the guise of Aurangzeb, while the police are investigating the matter. Mumbai Police has intensified its action against those protesting in support of the Delhi Jantar Mantar protest in Maharashtra and Mumbai. So far, about 8 FIRs have been registered against the protesters, of which four FIRs have been registered in Shivaji Park, Chetna Bhoomi, along with one FIR in Marine Drive and Azad Maidan. Now, politics has started in Mumbai over the hoisting of a poster of Aurangzeb (may Allah be pleased with him) during the protest. The police have started an investigation in this matter. Aurangzeb’s picture was hoisted during the protest in Dadar Chetna Bhoomi, which was later removed. However, in this matter, the police are investigating who had included this picture in the protest and what was the purpose behind it. The police have started an investigation in the matter of hoisting Aurangzeb’s picture in Mumbai and are formally finding out who was the one who hoisted this picture and what was the purpose behind it. DCP Mahendra Pandit said that in this matter, through social media, The identity of the accused is being ascertained, along with a case registered for illegally blocking the road and protesting without prior permission. In this case, an investigation is also underway as to why Aurangzeb’s picture was brought and what was the purpose behind it, while politics has started after this incident and the paper leak case has become Aurangzeb’s responsibility. The Home Ministry has ordered the Mumbai Police to investigate this matter and the police are conducting an inquiry into this matter. In the FIRs registered by the police so far, 600 accused have been named.

New Delhi, July 21: Police forcibly removed Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and several opposition MPs from their dharna site near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence in New Delhi on Tuesday, after they marched towards Lok Kalyan Marg demanding action over alleged examination paper leaks and police action against student protesters.

Rahul Gandhi, who sat on the road refusing to leave, was surrounded by several police personnel before being escorted into a police vehicle along with other opposition leaders. The protest came a day after a students’ march to Parliament witnessed police intervention.

Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi led party workers from Kharge’s residence to the Prime Minister’s residence, intensifying the opposition’s campaign on education-related issues. Before being detained, Rahul appealed to people to join the dharna, saying, “An attack on students is an attack on every Indian family,” and accused the government of failing to answer concerns raised by students.

In a significant development, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh met Rahul Gandhi at the protest site. Congress leaders said the talks remained inconclusive as the party insisted on the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a discussion in Parliament on alleged examination paper leaks.

Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain said the party would continue its protest until its demands were met. Jitendra Singh, however, maintained that the government was ready to hold a discussion in Parliament on education-related issues and alleged that the Congress later made the minister’s resignation a precondition.

The Congress has also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah apologise or resign over the police action against protesters during Monday’s march. The protest received support from opposition leaders, including NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP(SP) president Sharad Pawar and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, signalling broader opposition backing for the agitation.

Mumbai, July 21: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Central Government over the forcible hospitalisation of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and the violent lathi-charge on protesting students.

Taking to X, Thackeray condemned the government’s heavy-handed response, remarking, “This government itself has become mentally ill and needs to be admitted to a hospital.”

Expressing displeasure over the action against peaceful demonstrators, the MNS chief said the Central Government forcibly picked up Wangchuk and admitted him to a hospital. He added that the ruthless lathi-charge on protestors showed the government took pride in crushing legitimate protests.

Reiterating his demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Thackeray questioned the government’s reluctance.

“Who is Dharmendra Pradhan that accepting his resignation feels like a failure to the government? The outrage of the nation’s students is far more important than the ego of Dharmendra Pradhan and the government,” he said. He asked why the Prime Minister, who conducts ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha,’ was not engaging directly with students on the streets.

Criticising the ruling dispensation’s attitude toward grievances and the opposition, Thackeray asserted that the administration had developed an arrogant mindset.

He alleged that the ruling party believed it had won the elections through central agencies and EVMs rather than through public votes.

Drawing parallels with historical and global student movements, Thackeray cited the Arab Spring (2011), the Sri Lankan crisis (2022), anti-government protests in Nepal, and Jayaprakash Narayan’s ‘Sampoorna Kranti’ (Total Revolution) in India, noting that student unrest has historically triggered major political shifts.

“This movement isn’t restricted to just one exam. It is an outburst of public despair against inflation, contract culture, suffocating urban development, and broader governance failures,” he said.

He added that the courage shown by students stemmed from deep despair over the state of affairs in the country, warning that power gained through historic movements would slip away if the government relied on brutality rather than wisdom.

Reaffirming his party’s stance against centralised entrance exams like NEET, Thackeray urged the administration to show wisdom rather than force.

“An incompetent minister must resign, and complete transparency must be brought into examinations. There is no bravery in ruthlessly crushing protests; true wisdom lies in resolving them through dialogue. MNS extends its full support to these students and their demands,” he noted.