Mumbai: The Maratha community's protest entered its fourth day on Monday, spreading across key areas of Mumbai. During the demonstration at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), a man was seen lifting a bike and dancing on the road as part of the agitation, in a visual that quickly surfaced online.
The protest was visible from Marine Lines to CSMT, with large groups of demonstrators occupying the streets. Several visuals from the ground showed protestors dancing, performing stunts, and blocking major roads, bringing parts of the city to a standstill.
Mumbai’s city centre descended into chaos as the agitation intensified near Churchgate and surrounding areas. Protestors blocked key roads near the busy station, severely affecting traffic and compounding the difficulties of daily commuters already stuck in snarls near Azad Maidan and CSMT.
Hundreds of protestors flooded arterial routes, raising slogans and forcing vehicles to a halt. Many Mumbaikars were left stranded as taxis and buses got caught in long traffic jams stretching across South Mumbai.
Bombay High Court Orders Manoj Jarange & Protesters To Vacate Streets By September 2
The Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange and his protestors have prima facie violated the conditions of the permission granted for a peaceful protest. The Bombay High Court has given them time until Tuesday noon to vacate the streets of Mumbai.
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 the 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.
