Bombay High Court Warns Manoj Jarange Patil Over Maratha Quota Stir, Orders Protesters to Vacate Azad Maidan
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday issued a stern warning to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil and his supporters protesting at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, directing them to comply with its previous orders or face stringent legal consequences, including contempt of court proceedings and exemplary costs.
The court emphasized that it expects “perfect normalcy” in Mumbai and questioned the protesters over their failure to adhere to the permission granted, which allowed a maximum of only 5,000 people at the protest site. The court observed that there appeared to be a lapse on the part of the state government in maintaining order.
Senior Advocate Satish Maneshinde, representing Jarange Patil and his supporters, apologized to the bench for the inconvenience caused to citizens.
He pointed out that protesters were not provided with adequate arrangements for water, sanitation, and other essential facilities.
Maneshinde informed the court that, as per its directive, the protesters’ vehicles had already been removed from Mumbai’s streets, and steps were being taken to seek fresh permission for a protest at Azad Maidan.
However, the court expressed displeasure over the situation. “The difficulty is that, in anticipation that some order would be passed on your application, you cannot occupy the place. You have to follow the law. They must leave the place immediately.
Otherwise, we will take action at 3 pm,” said a bench of Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe, adjourning the matter until later in the day.
The bench referred to its observations from Monday, noting that the High Court was “virtually under a siege” due to slogan-shouting and a blockade staged by protesters near its premises. The situation created difficulties for judges, including one who was reportedly forced to walk to court.
A special bench of Justices Ravindra V. Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad had earlier directed the protesters to vacate all streets in South Mumbai by Tuesday noon.
“This is very serious, and we can’t leave the state like this. There seems to be some lapse on the part of the state, also. It can’t happen. There can’t be a siege of the High Court.
You can’t make a High Court judge walk to attend the court, and hold the sitting of the court,” the bench observed.
Acting Chief Justice Chandrashekhar also criticized the absence of visible security arrangements. “When I was returning, there was not a single patrol vehicle on the roads of Mumbai from the airport to my residence. Why is this so? Leave alone all these issues, but where is the security of the citizens?”
Mumbai Police Issues Notice, Cites Multiple Violations
The Mumbai Police, meanwhile, issued a formal notice to Jarange Patil’s supporters, revoking their permission to continue the protest at Azad Maidan.
The notice stated that protesters grossly violated the conditions of permission by bringing 40,000 people instead of the sanctioned 5,000, parking nearly 11,000 vehicles illegally in South Mumbai, and severely disrupting traffic.
The letter highlighted shocking violations, including open cooking, bathing, defecation, and urination in public spaces, creating a health hazard. It also documented instances of unruly behavior, such as:
- Protesters are playing cricket and kabaddi on public roads.
- Climbing atop vehicles and signal poles.
- Performing “crazy dances” and removing clothes in public.
- Blocking roads, obstructing BEST buses, and misbehaving with citizens.
The police further noted that some protesters had attempted self-immolation and brought elderly participants despite guidelines prohibiting the inclusion of children, pregnant women, and senior citizens.
Permission had been granted for only five vehicles from Wadi Bandar to Azad Maidan, but the police stated that over 5,000 vehicles were brought in, illegally parked at Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Dadabhai Naoroji Marg, and other junctions in South Mumbai.
“These actions have caused tremendous inconvenience to the general public and violated the explicit condition that normal life and traffic should not be disrupted,” the notice said.
Consequently, the police rejected a fresh application to extend permission for the protest and directed Jarange Patil’s supporters to vacate Azad Maidan immediately. The letter, signed by the Senior Inspector of Azad Maidan Police Station, warned that failure to comply would invite strict legal measures.
Background: Jarange Patil’s Demands
The Maratha quota activist has been demanding that the Maharashtra government issue a resolution recognizing all Marathas in the Marathwada region as Kunbis. He seeks Kunbi certificates for Marathas listed in the Hyderabad and Satara gazettes and has also demanded the inclusion of the Aundh and Bombay gazettes.
Patil’s indefinite protest in Mumbai has drawn large crowds, prompting the court and police to intervene over security, hygiene, and traffic concerns.
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