The Bombay High Court has issued a stern warning to Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil, directing him to vacate Azad Maidan by 3 PM on Tuesday. The court cautioned that if the protest site is not cleared and normalcy is not restored, it will be compelled to intervene directly. The bench also criticized the government, acknowledging mistakes on its part in handling the crisis.
High Court Criticizes Protest and Government
A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice S. Chandrashekar and Justice Arti Sathe observed that Jarange and his supporters occupied Azad Maidan without proper permission. The court emphasized that the situation has become extremely serious and warned that continued defiance of its orders cannot be tolerated.
The judges noted that they were dissatisfied with the state government’s handling of the protest, stating that the administration also made several errors in managing the agitation.
Apology from Jarange’s Legal Team
Appearing for Jarange, senior lawyer Satish Maneshinde apologized on his behalf. He told the court that from the beginning, activists were instructed not to cause public inconvenience. However, disruptions have occurred over the past five days as Jarange has continued his indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan.
Court Notes Violation of Orders
The court remarked that Jarange had violated its earlier directive, which had ordered protesters to clear roads and the ground by Tuesday afternoon. The bench pointed out that protestors had even surrounded the High Court premises at one point, forcing a judge to walk to court due to blocked access.
On Monday, the High Court had already warned that demonstrators must vacate the roads and Azad Maidan by 3 PM. Following this directive, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that his government would ensure implementation of the order. Subsequently, Mumbai Police issued a formal notice to Jarange to vacate the protest site.
Jarange Accuses CM Fadnavis of Misleading Court
In response, Jarange denied that protesters had broken any laws. He argued that no authority could prevent the Maratha community from entering the state capital. He alleged that CM Devendra Fadnavis was misleading the High Court about the reservation movement and warned that the Chief Minister would have to “pay the price” for it.
Jarange asserted that Maratha protestors would arrive in Mumbai this weekend and that no one could stop them. “You won’t even be able to tell who is a Mumbaikar and who is Maratha. Whatever happens next Monday will be because of the mistakes of Fadnavis,” he said.
Despite his strong words, Jarange insisted that he bore no personal bitterness against the Chief Minister.
The standoff between the judiciary, government, and protestors has heightened tensions in Mumbai. The High Court’s direct intervention signals rising concern over law and order, as well as the impact on public life. With Jarange continuing his hunger strike and refusing to back down, the next steps of both the government and protestors will determine how the crisis unfolds in the coming days.
