23 July,2026 09:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
According to Prakash Ambedkar, the bandh also received support from the Congress, Left parties, and various social organisations. FILE PIC
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday claimed that the Maharashtra Bandh called in support of students protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar received an overwhelming response across the state, and asserted that the agitation would continue until the Centre announces a concrete roadmap to prevent examination paper leaks.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Ambedkar thanked the people of Maharashtra for supporting the 48-hour bandh called to protest the alleged police lathi charge on students at Jantar Mantar and to express solidarity with the ongoing agitation.
He claimed that citizens and various organisations participated in the bandh across several districts, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nanded, Latur, Kolhapur, Dharashiv (formerly Osmanabad), Gondia, Gadchiroli, Bhandara, Jalgaon, and Nashik. According to Ambedkar, the bandh also received support from the Congress, Left parties and various social organisations.
Criticising the Centre, Ambedkar alleged that the government was attempting to suppress the students' protest at Jantar Mantar instead of engaging in dialogue. He also expressed apprehension that action could be taken against the protesters' social media accounts and urged the government to resolve the issue through discussions.
He said the bandh remained largely peaceful across Maharashtra, barring an incident of alleged vandalism at Murtizapur in Akola district. The future course of the agitation, he added, would be decided after consultations with protesters at Jantar Mantar, political parties and supporting organisations.
Alleging that repeated examination paper leaks were compromising merit and the future of students, Ambedkar said the protest in Delhi would continue until the Union government announces effective measures to prevent such incidents. He also asserted that Maharashtra would continue to support the movement.
The VBA chief accused both the Centre and the Maharashtra government of trying to suppress the agitation instead of initiating dialogue with students. In a democracy, issues should be resolved through discussions and not through authoritarian methods, he said.
Responding to a question on the proposed July 26 protest announced by Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, Ambedkar said he had not received any invitation. However, he added that he had no objection to any political party staging protests over issues concerning students.
During the press conference, Ambedkar reiterated his demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged paper leak issue. He also criticised the police action against protesters, sought strict action against personnel accused of misconduct in videos that surfaced during the agitation, and stressed the need for effective safeguards to restore the credibility of the examination system.
Speaking on the judiciary's role, Ambedkar expressed hope that the Supreme Court would prioritise the implementation of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution while safeguarding constitutional rights.
