The Bombay High Court on Monday recalled how Maratha protesters had “ruined Mumbai” during activist Manoj Jarange’s hunger strike last year and left without clearing the mess.
A bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Abhay Mantri made the remarks while hearing a plea seeking permission to hold a one-day protest at Azad Maidan in support of reservation for the Dhangar community.
A lawyer mentioned before the court a plea by the Dhangar community seeking permission to hold a one-day peaceful agitation at Azad Maidan. The petition was filed by Deepak Borhade after the police refused to allow the use of the ground.
The bench pointed out that even Maratha protesters had sought permission for a one-day protest but overstayed, bringing the South Mumbai commercial hub to a standstill. “We remember the protests held last year by the Maratha community,” the bench said, adding that while permission was granted for one day, the protesters stayed on for six days.
The protesters overstayed and “ruined the city,” the bench added. “We had specifically asked the protesters to clean the areas occupied by them before leaving. But they ran away without cleaning, and the civic body had to clean up the mess,” Justice Ghuge said.
The present plea filed by Borhade sought permission to organise a peaceful protest on January 21 for the Dhangar reservation. However, refusing an urgent hearing, the court said that a protest could be held on any day and posted the petition for hearing on January 28.
Activist Manoj Jarange had launched a hunger strike unto death at Azad Maidan on August 29 last year, seeking reservations for the Marathas. Following the High Court’s intervention and talks with the Maharashtra government, Jarange called off the protest on September 3 after the reservation was granted by the state.
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