Youth Congress Stages Widespread Protests Over Doctor's Tragic Death
The Youth Congress organized significant demonstrations across Mumbai on Monday, demanding justice for Dr Sampada Munde, a doctor from Phaltan sub-district hospital who allegedly died by suicide after facing harassment and sexual assault. The protests saw participation from senior party leaders and resulted in multiple detentions by Mumbai police.
Multiple Protest Locations Across Mumbai
Congress workers staged demonstrations at three strategic locations in the city: Marine Drive, Girgaon Chowpatty, and near Varsha, the official residence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The protests were jointly organized by the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress and Mumbai Youth Congress, drawing substantial participation from party members and supporters.
According to police officials from the Marine Drive police station, 60-70 protestors were detained for demonstrating without proper permission and obstructing vehicular movement on roads. A senior police officer confirmed that "the FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the BNS along with Mumbai Police Act against them." All detained protestors were served notices and subsequently released.
Political Allegations and Demands
The Congress party has made serious allegations in connection with Dr Munde's death. Shivraj More, state Youth Congress president, stated that "Dr Sampada Munde was driven to suicide" and emphasized the party's commitment to pursuing justice. He revealed that Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has personally assured Dr Munde's family that justice will be served.
In a significant development, the Congress has demanded that former BJP MP Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar be named as an accused in the case. This demand comes despite Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis having already given a clean chit to the former BJP MP, while Naik Nimbalkar himself has denied any involvement in the doctor's death.
The protest saw participation from Youth Congress national president Uday Bhanu Chib along with other senior party leaders. In a notable incident, a group of protestors managed to evade police security and reached near the Varsha bungalow, where they were promptly detained by security personnel.
More asserted that "the government, under the guise of investigation, is trying to protect the main accused" and vowed that "until justice is delivered to Dr Sampada Munde, the Congress will continue this fight." The party's determined stance indicates this issue will remain a significant point of political contention in Maharashtra.
