Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Tuesday launched a sharp offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government and Uttar Pradesh Police, accusing them of running a politically motivated crackdown on activists Muhammad Junaid and Shadab Saifi, who organised food and water distribution for protesters at Jantar Mantar. The broadside came through an editorial in the party's mouthpiece Saamana, framing the recent youth demonstrations not as a failure but as a 'vibrant festival against authoritarianism.'

Targeting of Activists and Their Families

According to the Saamana editorial, UP Police have repeatedly detained Junaid and members of his extended family — including his parents, sister, and in-laws — for up to 12 hours at a stretch inside police stations. Investigators are reportedly attempting to trace the financial sources behind a 35-day relief operation that supplied meals to thousands of demonstrators daily at the protest site.

The editorial alleged that state machinery went further, reportedly ordering the closure of nearby hotels, street food stalls, and commercial food delivery services across the adjacent Connaught Place area in an apparent bid to starve out the protest. Despite suffering foot injuries, Junaid allegedly continued to coordinate meal distribution alongside local Sikh langars (community kitchens) operating round the clock.

The Party's Central Argument

The Thackeray camp argued that deploying the state apparatus to investigate a humanitarian meal drive amounts to a misuse of government power. The editorial drew a pointed contrast: 'The government failed to locate the terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack that killed 27 tourists, nor did it identify the source of the RDX used in the Pulwama attack that claimed 40 jawans,' it noted. 'Yet, the entire machinery is deployed to track who funded Junaid's meal drives simply because he wears a beard and a cap.'

The party further alleged that the central leadership has 'nothing to do with humanity or patriotism,' asserting that Junaid and his family are being harassed because the administration is 'baffled by the scale of the community-led relief effort.'

Financial Accountability Demanded of BJP

Turning the scrutiny back on the ruling party, the editorial demanded public audits and full transparency on government and political funds. Specifically, it called for an official inquiry into the origins and major donors behind thousands of crores deposited during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as into the BJP's electoral funds and corporate donations.

Youth Agitation Reframed as a Movement

Refusing to characterise the Jantar Mantar demonstrations as a setback, the Shiv Sena(UBT) editorial declared: 'In reality, the agitation at Jantar Mantar was not a crying movement, but a massive, vibrant festival of youth.' It noted that protesters showed 'no signs of pain on their faces' even after facing police lathi charges, pellet guns, spiked batons, and tear gas canisters.

Concluding the editorial, the Thackeray camp urged prominent voices — including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and human rights advocates — to stand alongside Junaid, Saifi, and other grassroots organisers against what it described as state oppression. The call signals an intent to widen the coalition opposing the government's handling of the protests.