A home ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters more than 2,000 people were detained in Delhi. Local media said about 400 protesters were held in India’s financial hub, Mumbai.
There was no immediate comment from police on the detentions.
The United Nations human rights office expressed concerns over mass detentions before and during the protests.
“We call on the authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly is fully respected and fulfilled,” UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement.
He also urged authorities to engage in “meaningful dialogue” to address the “broadly held” concerns expressed.
The Indian mission to the UN in Geneva, however, called the UN’s concerns “misplaced” and said they constitute “an unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of India.”
It stressed that the right to peaceful assembly was guaranteed by India’s Constitution. “As in every democracy, Indian citizens exercise this right subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order,” the statement added.
