Activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that his 5-day protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan had been withdrawn after the state government accepted most of the Maratha community’s demands.
A bench led by Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe recorded his submission but insisted that he respond to allegations linked to the agitation.
Jarange had begun a hunger strike on August 29, pressing for reservation benefits for Marathas through recognition as Kunbis—a sub-caste under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The stir ended on Tuesday evening after the government issued a Government Resolution (GR) promising to set up a committee to grant Kunbi certificates to eligible Marathas with supporting historical records.
Court Concerned Over Damage Allegations
Even as the activist declared the agitation over, the court raised concerns about reported vandalism during the protest. “There are some issues. Large-scale damages were caused to public property. Who will pay for that?” the bench asked.
Jarange’s lawyers, senior advocates Satish Maneshinde and V M Thorat, rejected the accusations. They argued that no property damage occurred and that the only inconvenience was faced by commuters and locals due to the scale of the demonstration.
Direction To File Affidavits
The bench directed Jarange and the organisations that supported him to submit affidavits clarifying their stand. “The affidavits will have to say that they were not the instigators. There has to be a statement that they were not behind this. There are some serious allegations in the petitions,” the court said.
The judges warned that failure to submit written denials could lead to Jarange and his group being treated as responsible for the unrest. They granted four weeks for the affidavits to be filed, while assuring that no adverse orders would follow once the responses were on record.
Protest At Azad Maidan Declared Illegal
On Tuesday, the court had criticised the sit-in at Azad Maidan, noting that the protest was held without official permission. It even issued an ultimatum directing the group to vacate the site immediately. However, Jarange was allowed to remain until Wednesday morning as discussions with the state government appeared close to a breakthrough.
The Maharashtra government’s GR confirmed the constitution of a special committee to review historical documents and issue Kunbi caste certificates to eligible Marathas. Since Kunbis fall under the OBC category, this recognition would make qualified Marathas eligible for reservation in education and government jobs.
Following the announcement, Jarange ended his hunger strike and left the protest site with his supporters. He maintained that the movement was peaceful and aimed only at securing social justice for the Maratha community.
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