Maratha Quota Stir: HC Pulls Up Manoj Jarange, Orders Protestors To Vacate Streets By Tuesday Noon; Even Judge Forced To Walk To Court

Mumbai: On Monday, a special bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad was constituted to hear the petitions seeking restrain on the agitation in support of the Maratha reservation, which has brought the city to a virtual standstill.

Justice Ghuge Highlights Personal Experience of Blockade

During the hearing, Justice Ravindra Ghuge narrated that the high court too was under siege and that he too was a victim of the blockade.

Violation of Permission Noted by HC

In a detailed order, the HC pulled up Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange and his “peaceful protesters” observing that they had prima facie violated every condition of the permission granted to hold a peaceful protest and disrupted the maximum city. It gave the protestors time until Tuesday noon to vacate the streets and restore normalcy in the city.

Justice Ghuge cited his personal example wherein he stated that when he was travelling towards the HC around 12.30 pm in the official car, there was a huge blockade in front of the City Civil Court and the HC building.

“The protesters were playing on the streets, many were dancing and some had slept on the roads. The Judge (Ghuge, J), walked besides the crowd on the foot-path from the City Civil Court and reached the High Court,” the order read.

Slogans, Dancing, and Sleeping on Streets Disrupted HC Proceedings

Even the HC was not spared when the hearing was going on for over three-and-half hours. “The High Court was virtually under a siege. Whilst the hearing was going on inside the Court hall, doors of which were closed, slogan shouting was clearly audible to us as well as all the lawyers and litigants,” the bench added in its order.

Advocate Ashish Gaikwad appeared for Jarange, while advocates Shriram Pingle, Ramesh Dube Patil and Rajesh Tekade represented some supporters seeking to intervene. The court refused to allow their intervention.

Ironically, even these lawyers conceded that the situation was grim and the protestors were beyond Jarange’s control.

The bench noted that advocates Pingle, Dube Patil, Tekale and Gaikwad “do not dispute that the situation is grim and has practically brought Mumbai to a standstill.”

Lawyers Admit Situation Is Beyond Jarange’s Control

The judges asked the lawyers — who have earlier appeared for Jarange in two criminal cases — if he would appeal to protesters: (a) to restrict the gathering to 5,000 and send the rest home, and (b) to urge future protesters not to enter Mumbai.

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Dube Patil and Tekale told the court it was “not possible” for Jarange to make such an appeal as many protesters were “beyond his control.” Pingle said he would make a “bona fide effort,” but conceded that “several protesters are now beyond Mr. Jarange’s control.”