Mumbai: The Mumbai Police detained Bhumata Brigade chief Trupti Desai and other women activists to stop their march to the residence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis this evening.
After they were denied entry to Haji Ali Dargah here, the women activists led by Desai started a march to the CM’s bungalow ‘Varsha’ to meet him, but police stopped them saying “they need an appointment with the Chief Minister for a meeting”.
“Police have stopped us on our way to the CM’s residence. They are asking us to first take an appointment with the CM for a meeting. We were attacked today and there is a threat to our life, even then if we have been asked to take an appointment to meet the CM, then in what type of democracy we are living in,” she sought to know.
“Shortly, I have received a call from a person present at the dargah, who told me that they have kept a bounty of Rs One lakh to kill me if I went back. Police are ok with that, but they will not allow us to go to the CM’s residence,” she told ANI.
“Whether the Chief Minister meets us or not, we will stage a sit-in at his residence till he calls us. Is this the ‘good days’ for women of which the BJP keeps on talking,” she said.
“Even as we told police to let us go into the dargah, they stopped us for over two hours. It was the responsibility of the home minister (to ensure our entry). We are going to Chief Minister’s Varsha bungalow to ask him why women have been subjected to this justice,” she said.
When asked about the future course of action, Desai said, “Today is the first day of our movement, and we’ll carry it forward till the point women are allowed and offer prayers at the dargah.”
“We are not acting in haste. The matter is sub-judice since 2012. We are demanding equal rights to the women,” said Desai. (ANI)