Event row: Students will hold rally in Nagpur, says JD(U) MLC

On a day the police denied permission to a students' event supposed to be addressed by Dalit MLA Jignesh Mevani and JNU student leader Umar Khalid, JD (U) legislator Kapil Patil said they will organise a rally in Nagpur which houses the RSS headquarters.
Patil, one of the organisers of the 'All India Students Summit 2018', said the government stood "exposed" as it was trying to "suppress" the unrest among students in the state.
"Our next big attack will be in Nagpur as it is the headquarter of the RSS. We will organise a huge rally in Nagpur in coming months. Communalism is on the rise in Maharashtra, but we will counter it," the MLC said.

Earlier in the day, police denied the permission to the event, scheduled to be held in a western suburb today.
The permission was denied in the wake of the protests and bandh observed in the state yesterday following violence on the anniversary of a battle fought 200 years ago at Bhima Koregaon in Pune.
After denial of the permission, police today detained some students and activists outside Bhaidas Hall in suburban Vile Parle.

Patil alleged the police beat up Datta Dhage who heads Maharashtra unit of the Chhatra Bharati which had organised the programme.
"It was an annual event where Mevani, Khalid and Richa Singh (Allahabad University student leader) were invited as speakers. Just before the beginning of the event, we were told about denial of the permission by the police. Some 700-800 students were taken to different 8-9 police stations. Those who made Maharashtra burn for the last four days, are now suppressing the students as well," he alleged.

"None of the previous governments acted like this the way the Devendra Fadnavis government is acting. The same government does not talk on issues such as agrarian distress, Maratha reservation or issues concerning students, but it is keen on suppressing the unrest among the student community," he said.
Richa Singh said the BJP-led NDA government had tried to suppress students at several universities and institutions like the FTII, BHU, JNU or AU.
"We were detained because we wanted to speak before students. We will take up this issue in all parts of the country and sensitise people. This Sanghi government will be dislodged by students of the country," she said.