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Politics
Arvind Kejriwal Questions Arrests of Activists in Mumbai’s Tiranga March Protest
✍️ Amar Ujala · Mumbai
🗓 16 Oct 2026, 07:31 PM
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Two activists, Abhijit Dipke and Neha Bora, were detained after a Tiranga March at Mumbai’s Central Park, prompting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to ask if raising the national flag is a crime.
Earlier this week, a group of activists organized a "Tiranga March" in Central Park, Mumbai, aiming to hoist the national flag as a symbolic gesture. Police intervened during the demonstration and placed two participants, Abhijit Dipke and Neha Bora, in custody for allegedly violating public order rules.
The arrests were carried out under sections of the Maharashtra Public Safety Act that empower authorities to detain individuals for unlawful assemblies. Both detainees were taken to a local police station, where they were booked and later released on bail.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, speaking at a press conference, questioned the legality of the police action, asking whether displaying the tricolour could be considered a criminal offence. He urged the state government to respect citizens' right to peaceful expression.
Legal experts cited in the briefing noted that while the flag code prescribes certain protocols for hoisting the national flag, penal provisions are rarely invoked unless there is intent to insult the emblem. The incident has reignited debate over the balance between security measures and democratic freedoms in India.
The arrests were carried out under sections of the Maharashtra Public Safety Act that empower authorities to detain individuals for unlawful assemblies. Both detainees were taken to a local police station, where they were booked and later released on bail.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, speaking at a press conference, questioned the legality of the police action, asking whether displaying the tricolour could be considered a criminal offence. He urged the state government to respect citizens' right to peaceful expression.
Legal experts cited in the briefing noted that while the flag code prescribes certain protocols for hoisting the national flag, penal provisions are rarely invoked unless there is intent to insult the emblem. The incident has reignited debate over the balance between security measures and democratic freedoms in India.