The Mumbai Police on Saturday detained activist Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and president of the organization Hum Bharat Ke Log, along with his associates. The group was heading toward the historic August Kranti Maidan to lead a scheduled 3:30 PM demonstration in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) national protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Gandhi was intercepted in Bandra and taken to the DN Nagar police station. While Gandhi posted on social media claiming he had been taken to an undisclosed location, police authorities clarified that he was detained under preventive measures rather than formally arrested.
Police Cite Lack of Permission and Court Directives
The organization’s vice-president, Guddi S L, was separately picked up from Andheri and brought to the MIDC police station.
The preventive detentions follow an appeal posted by Gandhi on Friday urging Mumbaikars to assemble at August Kranti Maidan—the historic ground where the Quit India Movement was launched in 1942—to support demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll revision concerns.
However, Gamdevi Police officials confirmed that no formal permission was granted for the assembly:
- Legal Bar: Police noted that under High Court/Supreme Court directives regarding designated protest sites and archaeological grounds, public demonstrations cannot be sanctioned at August Kranti Maidan.
- Disputed Communication: While police maintained no application was received, organization representatives stated that email requests sent to authorities received no response.
Nationwide Crackdown Expanding
The action in Mumbai forms part of a broader, multi-state security operation surrounding the CJP’s October 10 protest.
Over 200 individuals suspected of traveling to New Delhi were detained across Maharashtra on Friday, coinciding with high-profile detentions in the national capital, including CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and influencer Dhruv Rathee.
