Activists and 99-year-old freedom fighter stopped from holding peace march

Tushar Gandhi, Teesta Setalvad, and G G Parikh were stopped by Mumbai police from attending a peace march on the anniversary of the Quit India movement. Gandhi was detained, Setalvad was asked to stay indoors, and Parikh was issued a preventive notice. The government organized a separate function to mark the occasion. The organizers criticized the BJP-led government for attempting to co-opt and distort the freedom struggle. Gandhi was detained for three hours and paid his respects to the place where the movement began after being released.

Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, activist Teesta Setalvad, and 99-year-old freedom fighter G G Parikh were stopped on Wednesday by the Mumbai police from attending a peace march organised on the anniversary of the Quit India movement.

Mumbai, India – Aug 09, 2023: Tushar Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson, pays tribute to Gandhi Smriti Stambh on the occasion of Quit India Movement Day, August Kranti Maidan, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, Aug 09, 2023. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

Gandhi was detained and taken to Santacruz police station, Setalvad was asked to stay indoors amid police bandobast while Parikh was issued a preventive notice by the D B Marg police. The march was to culminate at August Kranti Maidan, the place from where Mahatma Gandhi gave a clarion call for the British to quit India in 1942.

The government organised a function at the same venue to mark the occasion, in which chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar participated. They also launched the Meri Mati, Mera Desh campaign during the function.

In a post at 7 am on social media platform X, Gandhi said, “For the first time in the history of Independent India, I have been detained at Santacruz 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)

The organisers also alleged that 50-odd activists were detained by the police at D B Marg Police station. They hit out at the BJP saying that the BJP-led government was “attempting to commemorate the day for the first time—the day that their ideological predecessors had opposed, even as the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha connived with the British Empire”. “The advertisement issued by the BJP-led government does not even mention the Quit India Movement. It is once again clear that the BJP-RSS are trying their best or rather their worst to co-opt and distort our freedom struggle,” read the statement.

Gandhi, through his social media profile, said that he had been detained for three hours. “I was about to leave for August Kranti Maidan around 8 am when two people approached me and asked where I was going. When I told them, they said I couldn’t do that. They then took me to Santacruz police station. I was made to wait in the senior inspector’s cabin until 11.30 am before being let off,” he said. “The police told me there was an event organised by the state government at the same venue and my presence there could cause a law-and-order situation.” Gandhi said he did pay his respects to the place where the Quit India Movement began in 1942 after being let go along with Setalvad and Parikh.

Senior officials, including joint commissioner of police Satyanarayan Choudhary and deputy commissioner of police for Zone 9 Krishnakant Upadhyay, refused to comment on Gandhi’s detention. However, the letter sent to Parikh by the DB Marg police mentioned that he did not have the necessary permission to conduct the peace march in their jurisdiction. It also cited restriction of movement under Section 144 issued from July 31 to August 14, saying that action could be taken against him and his accomplices for illegal assembly. It also pointed out a high court order that said all rallies and protests in the city should only be done at Azad Maidan.

The D B Marg police detained 22 people relating to the Quit India Day, as they violated the Mumbai police commissioner’s order prohibiting gatherings of more than five persons. “We have already registered a case in this matter under Section 135,” said a police officer.

Maharashtra BJP vice-president Madhav Bhandari said he would not answer questions on Teesta’s detention since “she is out on bail in many cases for financial misappropriation”. “The action against Gandhi and other activists was taken by the police as per their common practice,” he said. “The government had no role in it. As far as the allegations against BJP over August Kranti Diwas go, I want to ask Teesta and Gandhi whether they hoist the tricolour in their houses. People know what we are and what they do.”

Shinde said, “The clarion call by Mahatma Gandhi for the British to quit India inspired the youth. The freedom fighters stood against the British rule. The freedom we got was the result of the sacrifice by thousands of martyrs.”