The Bombay High Court on Tuesday issued a stern ultimatum to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, directing him and his supporters to vacate Azad Maidan by 3 pm or face contempt, fines, and police action. The bench warned that normalcy must be restored in the city, declaring the ongoing protest “completely illegal”.
What did the Bombay High Court say?
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on activist Manoj Jarange and his supporters staging a hunger strike in south Mumbai, directing them to clear Azad Maidan by 3 pm.
The Bombay HC bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe, warned of contempt proceedings, exemplary costs, and police action if the protestors failed to vacate the ground.
“This is a very serious situation. We want complete normalcy restored by 3 pm, or we will step out on the streets ourselves,” the bench observed.
Why did the Bombay High Court intervene?
Manoj Jarange and thousands of protestors have been occupying Azad Maidan since 29 August, demanding a 10% quota for the Maratha community under the OBC category. The court noted that the permission granted was for 5,000 protestors, but nearly 50,000 had entered Mumbai, paralysing traffic and even surrounding the High Court premises on Monday.
“It cannot be that the High Court was under siege and a judge had to walk to court,” the bench remarked, calling the protest “completely illegal”.
What was activist Manoj Jarange’s response?
Senior advocate Satish Maneshinde, representing Manoj Jarange, apologised for the disturbances caused by some protestors and assured the bench that there would be no further misbehaviour. He added that the Maratha Quota activist had applied for formal permission to continue the agitation but no order had been passed yet.
Manoj Jarange, on an indefinite fast, has publicly vowed not to leave Mumbai until his demands are met. Maneshinde argued that the activist had informed the Maharashtra government of his plans months in advance and appealed through the media for restraint once crowds began swelling.
Maratha Quota Protestors Face Off with Mumbai Police
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai Police moved swiftly after the Bombay High Court censured activist Manoj Jarange over the Maratha quota agitation that had paralysed the city, directing protestors to vacate streets by Tuesday noon. Police subsequently served notices to Jarange and his core committee, citing breaches of court-mandated conditions, including the illegal occupation of roads with vehicles and demonstrators, and noted that action followed both his public statements and repeated violations of agreed terms at the Azad Maidan protest site.
According to eye witnesses and media rpeorts, while some supporters of Manoj Jarange were seen packing up to leave, most remained defiant. Further many more were seen dancing on the streets, causing ruckus.
Maharashtra Govt likely to issue individual eligible Marathas Kunbi status
The Maharashtra government is expected to issue a fresh government resolution (GR) reaffirming that only Marathas who can furnish documentary evidence of Kunbi ancestry will be eligible for certificates to claim benefits under the OBC quota, according to The Indian Express. Officials indicated that, given the legal sensitivities, the administration is unlikely to allow blanket recognition of Kunbi status or extend it to “sage soyre” (blood relatives), as demanded by activist Manoj Jarange Patil.
On the fourth day of Jarange Patil’s protest at Azad Maidan, a cabinet sub-committee held a lengthy meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Advocate General Birendra Saraf and Justice (Retd) Sandeep Shinde. However, the discussions concluded without any concrete proposal from the government.
Maratha Quota Protest: What happens next?
The Bombay High Court was categorical that Manoj Jarange and his followers “have no right at all” to occupy Azad Maidan without permission. The judges also criticised the Maharashtra government for lapses in crowd control and enforcement of conditions.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on Tuesday afternoon, where compliance with the directive will be reviewed.