‘Peaceful Protest Cannot Be Silenced’: Youth Congress Workers Clash With Pune Police Over Rasta Roko On FC Road | WATCH

Pune: Tension prevailed at Goodluck Chowk in Deccan on Wednesday evening as Pune City Youth Congress workers tried to stage a Rasta Roko protest against the alleged attack on Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress president Shivraj Dada More during the Samvidhan Samman Morcha in Nagpur. The agitation led to an argument between police personnel and Congress workers over permission for the protest, with barricades being placed to prevent demonstrators from entering the main road.

Carrying Congress flags and placards condemning the alleged police action against More, protesters were stopped by police personnel deployed at the spot and confined to the designated area near Kalakar Katta.

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A Deccan police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said informing the police about a proposed protest did not amount to obtaining permission. “The Congress people had just called us and said that they would protest at the location at a particular time. But just calling and informing us does not mean that we have granted permission,” the officer said.

The officer said barricades had been placed to regulate the gathering and prevent disruption to traffic. “They did not have permission, so we had to put up barrier gates near Kalakar Katta,” the officer said.

Defending the police deployment, the officer also raised concerns about the repeated use of the spot for political demonstrations. “The name of this site is Kalakar Katta, right in front of Goodluck. It is a place where people come and showcase their art, sit calmly and rest. But over the past few days, people have turned this place into a protest site, which is not good for the artists who come here and earn for themselves,” the officer said.

The police officer added, “They stepped out of the barrier gates and protested on the road, which is not acceptable.”

Pune City Youth Congress president Saurabh Amrale condemned the alleged attack on More and demanded accountability from the authorities. “If a youth leader is attacked while raising his voice for the Constitution, it is a serious threat to democracy. We strongly condemn this action and demand strict action against the police personnel responsible,” Amrale said.

Youth Congress president Akshay Jain also condemned the incident and demanded an impartial inquiry. “The government must answer why a peaceful voice was subjected to such treatment. We will not remain silent until those responsible are held accountable and strict action is taken,” Jain said.

The protest briefly affected traffic movement around Goodluck Chowk, while police personnel worked to keep demonstrators away from the main carriageway.