The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange permission to remain at Azad Maidan until the morning of September 3, despite earlier orders asking him and his followers to vacate the protest site by 3 PM.
A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe sharply criticised the Maharashtra government for failing to implement its directions. “We are extremely unhappy with the state’s conduct. Why did the administration not ensure that the court’s order was followed?” the bench remarked, warning it would go to any extent to enforce the rule of law if the situation did not normalise by Wednesday.
Jarange’s counsel Satish Maneshinde urged the court to allow the protest to continue until Wednesday morning, citing ongoing talks with the government. He argued that forcing protesters out immediately would effectively end the agitation. The bench accepted the request and fixed the next hearing for Wednesday noon.
At the same time, the court questioned Jarange’s role in drawing crowds well beyond the permitted 5,000 people, pointing out reports of over 50,000 demonstrators in the city. The judges also noted that protesters had obstructed the court premises on Monday, calling it a serious breach of law and order.
Jarange, on a hunger strike for five days, has demanded a 10% reservation for Marathas under the OBC category. He has said he will not leave Mumbai until the state government accepts his demand.
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