Mumbai: A group of citizens and students have petitioned Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding legal action against those involved in an “unlawful protest” near the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai on Wednesday. They have also called for an investigation into the “funding sources behind the demonstration”.The protest, organised by several student groups and activists, took place on Tuesday at approximately 5 PM near the institute’s main gate. It was held in response to the Bombay High Court’s decision to uphold the suspension of Dalit PhD research scholar Ramdas P.S. The demonstration was met with police intervention shortly after it commenced.“This is not just a student movement, but a politically motivated agitation. We demand a thorough probe into who is funding these protests,' said the group of citizens in their letter to the Chief Minister.However, protest organisers have countered these claims, stating that their demonstration was a peaceful exercise of their democratic rights. “After about 15 minutes, police personnel from Trombay Police Station arrived and announced on a loudspeaker that we did not have permission for the protest. We had already submitted a letter and informed the police station about the protest, yet they started detaining students and protestors. A complaint was also lodged by the police against five to six people, including me,” said Shailendra Kamble, one of the protest organisers.Ramdas P.S. was suspended by TISS allegedly over his criticism of the central government and participation in protests against the New Education Policy. The Bombay High Court dismissed his appeal against the suspension on March 12, stating, 'This is not a fit case to interfere. There is no merit in the petition, and the same is dismissed with no order as to costs.” Following the verdict, he stated his intention to move the Supreme Court, calling the decision “shocking” and arguing that it could set a dangerous precedent for student rights. “I deeply understand that this case is not just about me, but about the fundamental rights of all students and campus democracy in India's higher education system,” he said.The group that wrote to the CM alleged, “During the demonstration, slogans inciting caste-based enmity, such as 'Brahmanvad se Azadi’, were raised, which posed a serious threat to communal harmony.” However, protest organisers maintained that "no such slogans were raised" during the protest and demanded a video proof to validate the “unsubstantiated allegations”. They further stated that their demands were centred on academic freedom and democracy in higher education. Meanwhile, activists and students continued to call for Ramdas’s reinstatement and for academic institutions to uphold democratic freedoms. “TISS students are worried that such actions, especially during placement season, could harm their career prospects,” a student representative noted.