Social media influencer Vikas Fhatak, known by his social media alias ‘Hindustani Bhau’, has been arrested by the Dharavi Police in Mumbai on Tuesday in connection with the students’ protest in Dharavi on Monday.
The students, in Mumbai and Nagpur, were demanding exams be conducted online for classes 10 and 12 in view of the pandemic.
Following the protests, as per the preliminary investigation into the protests which led to vandalism (in Nagpur, agitating students damaged two buses, according to police reports) in some areas, the ‘influencer’ had allegedly asked for students to assemble in the Mumbai locality of Dharavi. The protest led to a baton charge by the police.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said the decision to conduct offline exams were taken with full precautionary measures, at a time when schools and colleges are slowly reopening.
Mr. Tope appealed to the protesting students to cooperate with the government and keep the peace.
‘In these two years, many people died because of Covid. Till now, families are recovering from the shock. And now the new drama of Omicron has started. What is this? The government is urging people to remain indoors. They why take offline exams of the students,’ Mr. Fhatak said in a YouTube video ‘Exams cancel karo. bacho ke jaan ke sath mt khelo warna hoga fir se andolan‘.
The video had over 2 lakh views till Tuesday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone V, Pranay Ashok said, ‘The action will be taken as per the law against anyone responsible for instigating students.’
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