Protests Over Maratha Reservation: Bombay HC Asks Manoj Jarange Patil To Leave Azad Maidan, Police Arrives Following Directive

In the latest development in the Maratha reservation case, the Bombay High Court has sharply criticized Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange for continuing his agitation at Mumbai's Azad Maidan to demand reservation for the Maratha community.

The court has ordered Jarange and other protesters to vacate the site by 3 PM today. A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe warned that failure to comply could result in severe actions, including exemplary costs and contempt of court proceedings.

Mumbai Police personnel has arrived at Azad Maidan to vacate the area following the Bombay High Court (HC) directives to stop the Maratha agitation. DCP Zone 1, Pravin Munde and other police officials arrive at Azad Maidan to vacate the area.

After the Mumbai Police denied permission for Jarange’s "fast unto death," the Maratha leader, Manoj Jarange Patil, declared on Tuesday that he would not leave Azad Maidan even if it costs him his life.

Jarange has been on a hunger strike for the past five days.

As the state government geared up to take measures to prevent protesters from entering Mumbai in the future, Jarange issued a stern warning to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, stating, "My request to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is that you will not withstand the public outcry coming on Monday. Even if I die, I will not leave this ground. Even if I die, you will remain silent."

Jarange Patil further cautioned that evicting the protesters from Azad Maidan would be "costly" for the government and expressed hope for justice.

"We believe in the God of Justice... We are 100 percent confident that justice will be served. There is no traffic anywhere in Mumbai right now. Our kids have parked their cars in all the parking lots. It will be costly for the government to evict us from Azad Maidan. For the last two years we have been protesting peacefully. Our protest is going on within the law. We hope that the court will give justice in favor of the protest. As soon as the court order came, we have removed the vehicles. Now there is no traffic jam anywhere in Mumbai. We will get 100 percent justice. We are protesting in a democratic way," he said.

Patil further said that the protestors will not leave Mumbai until their demands are fulfilled.

"We will not leave Mumbai unless the demands are implemented. The divine justice has given us justice so far and will give us justice now too. We will not leave Mumbai unless the Hyderabad Gazette is implemented. We are peacefully sitting on a hunger strike. We said at night, remove the cars from the road and put them in the field, after which our boys removed all the cars within four to five hours, what more can be done than this. We are the guardians of the law and the divine justice," the Maratha activist stated.

On Monday, Bombay High Court, in an urgent hearing on the ongoing agitation in Mumbai, said that they had given permission for the protest with certain conditions, which have been violated by the protesters. The protesters have brought the city to a standstill, and they have not followed their undertaking given to the court.

The court observed, "Since Respondent have, prima facie, violated the conditions of the permission granted to them by the State Government and since they do not have any valid permission to continue the protest on Azad Maidan, let the State Government follow the due procedure laid down in law for initiating appropriate steps."

"Since it is of imminent necessity that normalcy in the life of the common man needs to be restored and the city should not be brought to a standstill, and more so during the Ganpati Festival as well, and since 2025 Rules are in place, we direct Respondent to ensure that the streets are cleaned up, vacated of the occupation by the protesters, which would include all such places which are being occupied until tomorrow by forenoon," it added.

The High Court further ordered the state government to initiate appropriate steps to prevent the entry of more protesters into Mumbai from all entry points until further orders from this Court.

The Bombay High Court also directed the Maharashtra government to ensure adequate medical assistance and treatment to activist Manoj Jarange Patil and all protestors.

Mumbai's Azad Maidan has been witnessing thousands of people from the Maratha community protesting to press their demands for 10 per cent OBC reservation in government jobs and colleges.

The Marathas have been calling for a reservation demand for years. However, the protests intensified after Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil went on a hunger strike recently and vowed not to drink water until his demands were met.

The agitation has also mounted pressure on the Mahayuti government, which has formed a 10-member ministerial committee led by Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil to hold talks with stakeholders.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and its leaders have extended solidarity to the Maratha agitation. However, the BJP-led Maharashtra government has accused them of "politicising" the matter. 

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