Ahmedabad: Police briefly detained around 150 protesters in the city on Monday after they gathered without permission in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s nationwide “Sansad Chalo” march. The demonstrators — students, parents, children and elderly citizens — voiced their concerns over repeated paper leaks and alleged irregularities in the education system, while also extending solidarity to activist Sonam Wangchuk.In the evening, protesters gathered outside MJ Library and began moving towards the Nehru Bridge crossroads. Some students carried handmade posters, while others prepared placards at the spot.City photographer Heer moved through the crowd, handing roses to protesters.“There have been more than 22 paper leaks in Gujarat alone. Thousands of govt schools have been shut down, forcing lakhs of children to discontinue their studies due to unaffordable private education. We demand action, accountability, reforms, answers and resignations,” said Swati Goswami, a professional who joined the protest.The protesters raised slogans against Union govt and education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Several carried copies of the Constitution and banners supporting Wangchuk’s hunger strike.Joint commissioner of police (Sector 1), Neeraj Badgujar, said protesters were picked up from Law Garden, Ellisbridge and adjoining areas for assembling without prior permission, adding that all detainees were released later.Gujarat University police said those detained included students, local activists and several Youth Congress workers. While some protesters alleged that activists were manhandled during police action, Badgujar denied the allegation.Similar protests were held in Surat, Junagadh and Bhavnagar. In Surat, police intervened after protesters gathered outside the collectorate. The Ahmedabad protest coincided with a large gathering at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where thousands turned up for the CJP march despite heavy rain and tightened security. Police maintained that the action in Ahmedabad was taken solely because organisers had not sought permission for the protest.
