Nashik Police allegedly detained at least 30 on Monday night after hundreds of tribal students started to march towards Mumbai after a month-long demonstration in Nashik. The tribal students are demanding basic facilities in schools and hostels, resignation of Maharashtra’s Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike, among other things.

Sagar Pawara, an NSUI member and a tribal student leader who has mobilised the protesters, said, “Just as we began the protest march from Nashik, at least 30 of the participants were detained by Nashik Police. It is a long march and will take days to reach Mumbai.”

“Some students lag in the process, which we later came to know have been detained by police. But we will continue our march to Mumbai,” he said.

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Talking about the delegation of the protesters meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today, Pawara said, “If all our demands are met, we will turn back. But this seems highly unlikely, and we are not going to negotiate.”

The demands made by the tribal students

The tribal students have already submitted their 26-point demand charter to the government, seeking action on various issues faced by students at schools and hostels run for tribal students.

The students have sought an independent probe into the deaths at tribal ashram schools, and demanded better basic facilities in hostels and schools, financial assistance for families of three students who died following snakebite in Gadchiroli, establishment of a separate Tribal Commission and greater student representation in policy-making.

Other demands also include financial compensation of Rs 1 crore each to families of three girls who died of snakebite at an ashram school in Japtalai, Gadchiroli, and Rs 50 lakh each for the injured.

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They have also demanded a probe into the alleged irregularities in grant distribution and action against officials found responsible.