Should Azad Maidan Be Vacated Immediately by Jarange-Patil?

Mumbai, Sep 2 (NationPress) On Tuesday, the Mumbai Police issued a notice to pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, urging him to vacate Azad Maidan promptly. The police cited repeated violations by his supporters as the reason for discontinuing the protest permission.

This action follows a recent order from the Bombay High Court, which instructed the state government to uphold law and order amid the ongoing protest.

Jarange-Patil, who initiated an indefinite hunger strike on August 29 to demand reservation for the Maratha community within the OBC quota, has asserted that he will not leave Mumbai until the state government enforces the reservation.

The notice from the Mumbai Police stated, “The stipulated terms and conditions for the protest have been breached. Consequently, Azad Maidan must be vacated immediately.” The police expressed concern regarding statements made by Jarange-Patil to various media outlets.

In response, Jarange-Patil's core committee indicated that they have not yet received the police notice.

Additionally, the Mumbai Police referenced remarks made by the Bombay High Court during a Monday hearing on a petition, emphasizing that Jarange-Patil, Virendra Pawar, and others are required to obtain permission from the appropriate authorities as per the Public Meetings, Protests and Processions Rules, 2025 before holding any protest at Azad Maidan.

“If the respondents wish to conduct such a protest, they must submit an application in accordance with the Public Meetings, Protests and Processions Rules, 2025,” the notice stated.

To avoid disrupting public life in Mumbai, the government was advised to consider alternative protest venues in Navi Mumbai, as referenced in the high court order.

“Should the competent authority grant permission for a protest under the Public Meetings, Protests and Processions Rules, 2025, the respondents must adhere to all outlined terms and conditions,” the notice reiterated.

“You were granted permission to hold a one-day protest at Azad Maidan on 29/08/2025 between 09:00 AM and 18:00 PM, as per letter No. 7608/2025 dated 27/08/2025. You were made aware of the Public Meetings, Protests and Processions regulations and the interim order from the Bombay High Court dated 26/08/2025,” the notice elaborated.

“Since you have breached the terms of the previously granted permission and ignored the Bombay High Court directives from the interim order of 26/08/2025, your request for protest permission submitted on 01/09/2025 is hereby denied. You are therefore requested to vacate Azad Maidan immediately,” the notice concluded.

Earlier, the high court mandated authorities to clear all other roads in Mumbai of protesters by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, stating that the protest should be restricted to Azad Maidan.

It also instructed authorities to stop incoming protesters at the borders of Mumbai. The high court noted that permission was granted for only 5,000 participants, yet a larger crowd gathered outside Azad Maidan to join the protest for the quota.

The high court is expecting a response from the Maharashtra government regarding the measures taken to address this situation, with the matter set for further hearing at 3 p.m.