Aaditya, Amit Thackeray booked day after leading sit-in against Gyanesh Kumar

The Mumbai Police booked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)’s Amit Thackeray on Monday, a day after they led a sit-in demanding chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS have announced another round of agitation on Monday at 4pm.

On Sunday, police refused to allow any demonstration as the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) called for a “farewell party” for Kumar. At least 300 people were detained before Amit Thackeray arrived, stopped a police van carrying protesters, and ensured that they got down before he got detained.

His cousins, Aaditya and Tejas Thackeray, rushed to Shivaji Park, and led the sit-in outside Shiv Sena Bhavan. Around 1,000 MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers joined them and caught police off guard.

A police officer said the Thackerays and at least 25 others were booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, section 189 (unlawful assembly) and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Police Act.

Aaditya Thackeray announced that the agitation against Kumar would continue on Monday. He added the protesters were fighting against dictatorship and attempts to suppress dissent. “The action against protesters at August Kranti Maidan yesterday [Saturday] and Shivaji Park today [Sunday] was not expected of the Mumbai Police,” he said.

“They have begun acting like the Delhi Police, perhaps at the behest of political leaders in Delhi. Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, was detained yesterday and released hours later only after we protested.”

He maintained that the protest was not political and was intended to support citizens raising concerns about the electoral system. “This is a protest by Bharat against the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party], which is suppressing the voice of the people,” he said. “It is a fight against traitor Gyanesh Kumar and will continue until he resigns.”