Mumbai police took several activists into custody on Thursday after they attempted to march to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters. The protest was organized to highlight critical issues facing Marathi-medium schools managed by the civic body.
March Stopped, Leaders Detained
The demonstration, coordinated by the Marathi Abhyas Kendra and spearheaded by academic Dr. Deepak Pawar, was halted at multiple locations. Police officials stated the group did not have the necessary permissions to proceed. Following brief verbal exchanges, the protesters were redirected to Azad Maidan.
At Azad Maidan, the participants began a sit-in, demanding a direct meeting with senior civic officials. The police subsequently detained key figures including Dr. Pawar, Anand Bhandare, Sadhana Gore, Swapnil Thorat, and former Rajya Sabha MP Bhalchandra Mungekar. All detained individuals were released later the same day.
Core Issues in the Protesters' Memorandum
The protest was not a spontaneous action but the result of mounting frustration. Organizers said they had made repeated representations to the BMC regarding school closures and redevelopment projects, but these failed to get a satisfactory response.
A memorandum outlining their concerns was eventually accepted by the Civic Commissioner. The document raised several pressing issues:
- The ongoing closure and redevelopment of Marathi-medium schools.
- The absence of a standard operating procedure (SOP) governing such redevelopment.
- Uncertainty about relocating students during school repair or construction work.
- The fear that schools might be permanently shut down or merged due to administrative decisions.
The group's primary demand was for an immediate halt to all such actions until proper consultations with stakeholders are conducted.
Model Code of Conduct Hampers Dialogue
Despite the commissioner accepting the memorandum, a substantive discussion on the issues did not materialize. Anand Bhandare of the Marathi Abhyas Kendra stated that after the detention, the commissioner did meet them but refused to engage in talks, citing the model code of conduct in force for the upcoming 2025 civic elections.
The BMC later issued a clarification note supporting this position. The civic body stated that protesters had been invited earlier for discussions at the deputy commissioner level. While the memorandum was accepted, the BMC clarified that detailed discussions or policy decisions cannot be held presently due to the election code.
This incident underscores the tension between civic activism and administrative processes during election periods, leaving the future of several Marathi-medium schools in a state of limbo.
