Mumbai: Observing that Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange and his protestors have prima facie violated the permission granted to hold a peaceful protest and disrupted the city, the Bombay High Court has given them time till Tuesday noon to vacate the streets.
The court said that since Jarange and his followers have breached the conditions of the permission granted by the Mumbai police and no longer have valid permission to hold a protest at Azad Maidan, the State is expected to follow due process of law and initiate appropriate steps.
A special bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad said: “Respondents 5, 6 and 7 (Jarange, organiser Virendra Pawar and their association) have also prima facie violated the conditions of the permission granted to them and, since they do not have any valid permission to continue the protest, we would expect the state government to follow due procedure laid under the law by initiating appropriate steps as in the August 26 order and Rules 2025.”
The judges emphasised that it is of utmost importance that life in the city is restored to normalcy. “Since it is important that life of the common man in Mumbai is restored to normalcy and the city should not be brought to a standstill, more so during the Ganpati festival, even at other times, we direct respondents 5, 6 and 7 to clean the streets and vacate the occupation of protestors … until tomorrow forenoon,” the court said.
The HC was hearing an application moved by Amy Foundation, seeking action against Jarange and his followers for violating the court order and the new Rules on Regulating Public Gatherings and Agitations.
On August 26, while hearing the Foundation’s petition, the HC restrained Jarange from holding a protest without obtaining prior permission from the competent authority, observing that public places cannot be occupied for an indefinite period.
Pursuant to an application, the police granted him permission for a day — August 29 — to hold a protest at Azad Maidan between 9 am and 6 pm. He was allowed to bring only 5,000 protestors. However, more than 25,000 protestors entered the city.
The HC has also directed the state to ensure that no further protestors enter the city and that they are stopped at entry points. “If there are further protestors who desire to enter the city, we direct the state to take appropriate steps to prevent their entry from such entry points as may be relevant and ensure further protestors do not enter the city,” the court said.
The state has also been directed to monitor Jarange’s health parameters and, in case of any medical emergency or deterioration in health, provide him with adequate medical assistance.
“We hope and trust that good counsel would prevail over respondents 5, 6 and 7 and they would obey directions of the August 26 order, the 2025 Rules and our directions until forenoon,” the court added.
The HC has kept the matter for checking compliance on Tuesday, September 2.
