Mumbai: In a sharp rebuke to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, Mumbai’s leading journalist associations have raised serious concerns about the safety and dignity of reporters covering his ongoing hunger strike at Azad Maidan.
The Mumbai Press Club (MPC) and the TV Journalists Association (TVJA) issued strongly worded complaints on Sunday after multiple incidents of alleged misconduct, harassment, and intimidation of media representatives — particularly women journalists — by Jarange Patil’s supporters.
Both associations have warned that if immediate action is not taken to rein in unruly protestors, Mumbai’s entire media fraternity may be forced to boycott coverage of the agitation.
‘Unacceptable Behaviour’ Sparks Outrage
In an official statement, the Mumbai Press Club condemned what it described as a “pattern of repeated harassment and indecent treatment” of journalists on duty. The MPC urged Jarange Patil and his leadership team to restore discipline and guarantee safety at the protest site.
“The Press Club deplores repeated incidents of harassment, misconduct, and indecent treatment faced by women journalists and other media professionals while covering Manoj Jarange Patil’s ongoing protest in Mumbai,” the statement said.
While acknowledging Jarange Patil’s verbal assurance that he had taken “cognisance” of the matter, the Press Club stressed that press freedom, dignity, and safety are non-negotiable in a democracy. It called for stringent action against those responsible.
The TV Journalists Association (TVJA) went a step further, submitting a formal letter to Jarange Patil expressing deep dissatisfaction with his handling of the issue. The letter alleged that reporters and camera crews at the protest site had been subjected to verbal abuse, physical intimidation, and harassment.
“If corrective measures are not implemented immediately, and if media representatives are not assured safety and dignity, Mumbai’s entire media fraternity will have no choice but to boycott the coverage of this protest,” the TVJA warned.
Activists Accused of Being ‘Uncontrollable’
TVJA president Uday Jadhav voiced strong disapproval of Jarange Patil’s dismissive response to journalists’ complaints.
“We submitted a letter highlighting the harassment faced by both female and male reporters and requested him to instruct his supporters to restrain themselves.
Shockingly, he told us that ‘we are guests here and should adjust for a few days’. How can such a statement be justified? His supporters are molesting and harassing women journalists, and instead of protecting them, he is asking us to tolerate it,” Jadhav said.
Jadhav further added that despite Jarange Patil’s claim that he had ordered his supporters to maintain discipline, the ground reality paints a different picture. “His activists have become uncontrollable and are refusing to listen,” Jadhav said, expressing frustration over the lack of leadership accountability.
Why Jarange Patil Is Protesting
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil has been on a hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan since last week, intensifying his demand for reservation benefits for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota.
Jarange Patil insists that the Maharashtra government immediately pass a resolution recognising all Marathas from the Marathwada region as Kunbis, a sub-caste currently listed under the OBC category.
He has also demanded that all Marathas documented in the Hyderabad and Satara gazettes be issued Kunbi caste certificates, which would make them eligible for reservations.
Additionally, he is pushing for Kunbi status to extend to those listed in the Aundh and Bombay gazettes, thus broadening access to affirmative action measures for Maratha communities across Maharashtra.
However, the state government’s Cabinet sub-committee has sought more time to review the demand, citing the need for thorough examination and verification of historical records. In response, Jarange Patil has called upon thousands of his supporters to join the protest in Mumbai, significantly increasing crowd numbers at Azad Maidan.
A Growing Tension Between Press Freedom and Protest Movements
The ongoing controversy underscores an increasingly volatile relationship between political activism and media freedom in India.
Journalists and their associations are now demanding that leaders of large-scale protests like Jarange Patil’s movement take full responsibility for the conduct of their followers, especially when women reporters are being subjected to harassment in the field.
Both the MPC and TVJA have made it clear that their members will not compromise on dignity or security while covering protests. If Jarange Patil’s leadership fails to ensure order, it risks losing sympathetic media coverage of his movement at a crucial juncture in the Maratha quota agitation.
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