The Congress alleged that police forcibly entered the party's Maharashtra headquarters, Tilak Bhawan, in Mumbai after midnight on Monday and arrested some tribal students who had come from Nashik to stage a protest, along with NSUI members, and demanded their immediate release.
Congress threatens protest at CM's residence
State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, in a video statement, warned that party leaders would gherao Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' official residence if the students and NSUI office-bearers were not freed.
The police, however, denied the claims and said no one was arrested from Tilak Bhawan.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Manish Kalwaniya said a call was given by protesters to march to Lok Bhawan (the governor's house).
The protesters who were planning to go to Lok Bhawan are being detained from various places, and legal action is being taken, the official said.
"No one was arrested from Tilak Bhawan as is being claimed," the DCP added.
Congress alleges students were detained
According to Sapkal, tribal students who had marched from Nashik to Mumbai to protest at Azad Maidan here over their various demands stayed overnight at Tilak Bhawan, the Congress state headquarters in Mumbai's Dadar area.
He alleged that police personnel entered the Congress headquarters during the night, threatened the students and took some of them into custody.
National Students' Union of India state president Sagar Salunkhe and the Mumbai head of the party's youth wing were arrested, Sapkal claimed.
"Police entering the Congress headquarters in such an illegal manner and taking action against the students is a sign of high-handedness. The arrested tribal students and NSUI office-bearers should be released immediately," he said.
"If the students are not released, all Congress leaders from Maharashtra will come to Mumbai and gherao 'Varsha' bungalow (CM's residence)," he warned.
Students have protested over tribal issues
The Congress has alleged that tribal students came to Mumbai to press for their demands concerning the tribal development department.
The students have been protesting for over 10 days seeking redressal of their various demands regarding scholarships, lack of basic amenities in ashram (residential) schools, hostels, among other issues. Many came to Mumbai by bus and on foot to seek the resignation of the tribal development minister for failing to address their issues, the party said.
The students, who were seeking the resignation of the tribal development minister and the department's commissioner, were threatened with police cases and a bus carrying them was taken into custody, the Congress claimed.
The Mumbai Police stopped the students at around 3 am, took their photographs and apprehended them, it charged.
Sapkal alleged that police threatened the students and took some of them into custody.
"It is a serious matter if the police, who are responsible for maintaining law and order, themselves violate the law," he said.
The Congress would not allow any attempt to suppress the voice of tribal students, Sapkal said, asserting that the party stood firmly with them in support of their legitimate demands.
The students' voices could not be silenced through threats, the Opposition party said in a statement, asserting that it would stand with tribal students in the "fight for their legitimate rights".
"Threatening students and using police force instead of seriously considering their issues amounts to suppressing democratic values," the Congress said, targeting CM Fadnavis.
The Congress condemned the alleged action against the students, saying they had come to protest peacefully and democratically over their demands.