Moving swiftly, the city police foiled the Mumbai Congress’ plans to launch a ‘pakora agitation’ by setting up a stall to fry and sell the snack near Mantralaya, the state government headquarters, here on Thursday afternoon.
Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam, who was en route to the agitation, was detained at Chowpatty and not allowed to proceed further.
A livid Nirupam attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of “denying my fundamental rights” by blocking him from going to the anti-pakora campaign organised by his party.
“This is absolutely unconstitutional and has never happened before… The BJP government is denying my fundamental rights,” he told the media.
He got into a heated argument with a police officer who asked him to move his vehicle aside and to step out. He refused to comply and dared the police to arrest him.
Later, Nirupam and several other party activists were detained and stopped from proceeding towards Mantralaya, at Nariman Point.
Two days ago, Nirupam had announced a unique ‘pakora’ agitation for Thursday when educated or highly qualified unemployed youth would set up a stall to fry and sell ‘pakoras’ outside Mantralaya.
The party had invited the people to come, buy and savour the ‘pakoras’ prepared by the educated unemployed youth as per the call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah recently.
Undeterred by his detention, Nirupam said the ‘pakora’ agitation will continue till both Modi and Shah take back their statements.