Those carrying it are not students: Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam after Aurangzeb poster surfaces at CJP protest

Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam. Pic/ X

Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam on Wednesday said those carrying an Aurangzeb poster during a protest in support of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) should not be considered students, adding that the incident is under investigation and those responsible will face action.

Speaking on the controversy, Kadam said, "I will not call them students. I don't think any student would carry Aurangzeb's poster while protesting, irrespective of their demands."

He said the state government has ordered an inquiry into the matter and assured strict action against those found responsible.

"We are inquiring into the matter, and whoever is responsible will be punished," he said.

Without naming anyone, the minister also alleged that some Opposition leaders could be attempting to politicise the movement.

"I cannot say what the reason was, but I think some people in the Opposition may be trying to politicise the movement. Opposition leaders are currently unable to attract the youth, so they may see this as a ready platform," Kadam said.

He added that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the incident.

11-year-old among those detained during Chaityabhoomi protest in Mumbai

Meanwhile, an 11-year-old boy was among those detained during Monday's protest at Chaityabhoomi, where Mumbai Police rounded up dozens of demonstrators ahead of what they described as an unauthorised gathering.

His mother, Sandhya Panaskar, alleged that she, her husband, and their son were detained and taken to Worli police station after refusing to leave the protest site. She claimed the child was left shaken after witnessing police drag his father away.

Police had detained several protesters during the demonstration. Their response to Panaskar's allegations was not immediately available.

‘I was standing with my son'

Panaskar said her family reached the protest venue around 4 pm. Seeing protesters being detained, she began calling friends to join the demonstration. She alleged that police soon tried to escort her family towards waiting police vans.

"I was simply standing there with my son, and they started telling me to go away. When I did not, someone held me by the shoulder and tried to direct me towards the van. I didn't want them touching me or forcing me."

Panaskar claimed that at previous protests police had avoided detaining mothers accompanied by children. "This time, they detained all of us," she said.

Released after nearly four hours

Panaskar said she and her son were released at 7.44 pm, nearly four hours after being detained.

She claimed even officers at Worli police station questioned why a child had been brought there.

"Even the officers at the station were asking the personnel who brought us why there was a kid with us."

She also claimed another woman and her 10-year-old daughter had been detained and brought to the same police station.