Maratha quota protestors converge in outskirts of Mumbai despite police notice

Supporters of Manoj Jarange Patil gather on Vasai Road today/ Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange, along with thousands of supporters, arrived in Navi Mumbai on Friday for a reservation for the Maratha people. Around 5 a.m., several activists riding bikes, vehicles, jeeps, tempos, and trucks assembled at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) on the outskirts of Mumbai.

According to Jarange's plan, he and his supporters would begin a hunger strike on Friday at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. Their principal demand is that the Maratha community be granted Kunbi (OBC) status.

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Despite Mumbai Police issuing a notice denying permission for a hunger strike in the city, Jarange stated his intention to carry out the protest on January 26. In the notice issued under Section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the police voiced worry about the impact on Mumbai's daily life, citing the city's reputation as a financial capital with a large daily commute population.

The police proposed that the protestors meet at the International Corporation Park Ground in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, with legal licences. The police cautioned that failure to comply with the notice could result in contempt of court orders from the High and Supreme Courts.

"Approximately 60 to 65 lakh citizens travel by train and other means of transport for jobs in Mumbai every day. If the Maratha protestors reach the city in their vehicles, it will have an adverse effect and the everyday transport system in the city will collapse," the police notice stated according to the PTI report.

The report added, "As per the High Court, only 7,000 square metres area of Azad Maidan has been reserved for protest and its capacity is to accommodate 5,000 to 6,000 protestors, but if a large number of protestors come there, there will not be enough space for them to stop and there are no facilities to that extent. The rest of the ground comes under the school education and sports department which too has rejected permission to hold the rally."

The notification also underlined Azad Maidan's restrictions for big protests, stressing the designated area and the risk for public disruption. Due to Republic Day activities and capacity concerns, permission to use the Shivaji Park grounds in Dadar was denied.

Jarange, despite insisting on going to Mumbai, emphasised that the Maratha agitation would not disturb Republic Day celebrations; rather, the demonstrators will celebrate the day. The planners have arranged a flag-raising event at Azad Maidan to commemorate Republic Day.

Despite efforts by government officials to persuade him otherwise, Jarange insisted that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar personally engage in meetings to settle the matter. Navi Mumbai police authorities requested a change in the march route since there is a hospital on the current path.

With PTI inputs