Mumbai: Tushar Gandhi, author and great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and activist Teesta Setalvad were stopped by police from attending a protest march in Mumbai today, organisers of the event have alleged.
Mr Gandhi was detained and taken to Santacruz Police station, and Ms Setalvad was asked to stay indoors, a statement by the organisers said. Freedom fighter Dr GG Parikh, now 99 years old, was also stopped from taking part in the protest, they added.
The protest, organised on the anniversary of Quit India Movement against the British in 1942, was titled "Shanti March" - meaning peace march. A poster of the protest read, "nafraton Bharat chodo, mohabbat se dilon ko jodo (Hate, leave India, let's join hearts with love). The march was from Girgaon Chowpatty to August Kranti Maidan.
Around 7 am this morning, Mr Gandhi posted on X, "For the first time in history of Indipendent India I have been detained at Santa Cruz Police Station as I left home to commemorate 9th August Quit India Day. I am proud My Great Grandparents Bapu and Ba had also been arrested by the British Police on the historic date (sic)."
Another post said that a contingent of 20-odd cops had been posted outside his home to prevent him from joining the march. Around 10 am, he said he has been allowed to leave the police station and is on his way to August Kranti Maidan.
The next post said a Muslim taxi driver initially refused him a ride because he was scared. "Fear in our society is so palpable, I got into a Riksha at Santa Cruz Police Station after I was allowed to go. When we reached Bandra I hailed an old Muslim taxi driver to take me to August Kranti Maidan, He saw the police car & panicked told me 'Saab mujhe nahin fasna'," he posted.
"Took a lot of convincing to reassure him. This is the malady afflicting our society today that's why," he added.
Targeting the BJP-backed Eknath Shinde government, the organisers said, "The advertisement issued by the BJP-led government does not even mention the QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT. It's once again clear that the BJP-RSS are trying their best, or rather their worst, to co-opt and distort our freedom struggle."
They alleged that 50-odd activists are being detained at DB Marg police station, and will be let off only after the event is over.
The organisers said that they organise this march every year to mark the anniversary of Quit India Movement.
"This unprecedented crackdown on this historic day of our independence movement has only strengthened our resolve to continue to resist this attack on our democratic and constitutional rights. On this day, we thus take an oath to live by the traditions of our freedom struggle and continue to defend our country and our people," the statement said.