Shiv Sena (UBT) Accuses Centre of Dictatorial Tactics Over Crackdown on Anti-Government Protests

October 12, 2026

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has accused the Central government of using “cowardly” and dictatorial tactics to suppress anti-government demonstrations across the country. The criticism appeared in the party’s mouthpiece, Saamana, following security restrictions and detentions during protests in Delhi and Mumbai on October 10.

In its editorial, the Thackeray-led faction alleged that the government imposed an extensive security blockade in the national capital, deploying armed personnel to prevent protesters and opposition leaders from participating in demonstrations. The claims and characterisations were made by the party in its publication.

Saamana Alleges Extensive Security Blockade in Delhi

The editorial claimed that armed security personnel were deployed after being recalled from anti-terror and anti-Naxalite operations in areas including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Manipur.

According to Saamana, access routes and narrow lanes across Delhi were sealed, while a force estimated by the editorial at nearly one lakh armed personnel surrounded the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Krishna Menon Road.

The publication further alleged that the security measures disrupted public transport and infrastructure, including internet services, metro operations, local bus networks, incoming long-distance trains and commercial flights. It also claimed that police boarded an aircraft to detain political leaders, including Dipankar Bhattacharya and Manoj Jha.

Despite the restrictions, the editorial said, large numbers of students and civil society members reached protest venues. It also claimed that former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal were arrested during the crackdown.

Tushar Gandhi’s Detention Draws Shiv Sena (UBT) Protest

In Mumbai, police detained Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, as he attempted to lead a peaceful satyagraha towards August Kranti Maidan, the editorial stated.

The action prompted opposition from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and party workers, who marched to the DN Nagar police station to demand Gandhi’s immediate release, according to Saamana.

The editorial criticised what it described as the use of excessive force against demonstrators and alleged that the crackdown reflected an attempt to suppress dissent.

Editorial Cites International Concerns Over Detentions

The Thackeray camp also referred to what it described as growing international scrutiny of India’s handling of protests. The editorial alleged that the United Nations Human Rights Office had raised concerns over arbitrary detentions, police conduct and reports of women demonstrators being dragged into prison vans and taken to undisclosed locations.

It said the UN had urged Indian authorities to protect the right to peaceful assembly and release people detained arbitrarily. The editorial also referred to coverage by international media outlets, including The New York Times and major London newspapers, which it said highlighted concerns about the state of Indian democracy.

Responding to BJP leaders and media outlets that reportedly described the demonstrations as a “flop show”, the Shiv Sena (UBT) editorial argued that the scale of the security response reflected the government’s vulnerability rather than the failure of the protests.

The party also alleged a decade-long pattern of public harassment, misuse of public funds and electoral manipulation. Using strong language against the government, the editorial argued that public anger over governance had reached a tipping point and warned that attempts to suppress dissent could intensify resistance.

The allegations and descriptions in the editorial represent the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s position on the protests and the government’s response.