Mumbai: The Bombay High Court will hear today a plea against agitation by Manoj Jarange seeking Maratha reservation.
The Bombay High Court on August 26 had restrained Jarange Patil from holding a protest without obtaining prior permission from the competent authority, observing that public places cannot be occupied for an indefinite period.
The court had specifically directed Jarange and his followers to strictly abide by the conditions imposed by police, if permission was granted. Moreover, the court stated that the state is at liberty to offer an alternate place to Jarange and his associates to hold the protest outside Mumbai.
The court has also noted the additional burden on the police, which would already be busy managing law and order during the Ganpati festival, which commenced on August 27.
The HC passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation filed by a group, Amy Foundation, opposing the proposed agitation and seeking a restraining order.
Police Grants Permission To Hold Protest At Azad Maidan
The police had, however granted permission to hold a protest at Azad Maidan for a day on August 29 from 11 am to 6 pm. The permission was subsequently renewed for a day each on August 30 and August 31 with same conditions. Moreover he was asked to sit in Azad Maidan with 1,500 protestors and around 5,000 supporters were permitted to enter the city.
However, since the last three days more than 25,000 Maratha supporters have brought South Bombay SoBo to a standstill. And every condition imposed by the police have been virtually flouted.
Hence, the Foundation again sought urgent hearing in the plea, which will be heard today later.
Initially the HC had issued notice to Jarange and scheduled the matter for further hearing on September 9.
Jarange has given an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government, until Tuesday, August 26, to grant a 10 percent quota to the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, or face the wrath of protesters.
He warned that a march to Mumbai would commence on August 27, Ganesh Chaturthi, if the government fails to accept their demand for the quota. He also threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan from August 29.
