Amid Manoj Jarange’s high-voltage hunger strike at Azad Maidan for Maratha quota, the Bombay High Court on Monday agreed to a special hearing on a petition filed against the agitation. The court, closed for Ganesh festival since August 27, will reopen on September 2 but took up the matter urgently due to public inconvenience.
CRPF and CISF deployed at CSMT over heated protest by Maratha qouta activist. Pic/Sameer Abedi
Amid the ongoing high-voltage protest by Manoj Jarange, the Bombay High Court on Monday agreed to have a special hearing on a petition filed against the ongoing agitation. The protest over the Maratha quota reservation is led by activist Manoj Jarange, demanding reservation for the Maratha community.
As reported by news agency PTI, the Bombay High Court has been on holiday since August 27 for the Ganesh festival. The High Court is set to be open on Tuesday, September 2.
While court proceedings are set to resume on Tuesday, a special bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad, however, agreed to have a special hearing this afternoon on a petition filed by the Amy Foundation against the quota protest.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai since August 29. The activist seeks a 10 per cent quota for the Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.
As reported by news agency PTI, hundreds of people have gathered in the city in support of the activist, crowding at major junctions in the business district.
Taking cognisance of the chaotic situation across the city, the petitioner had filed a plea in the high court last week against the protest.
Earlier, on August 26, the Bombay High Court stated that public places cannot be occupied for an indefinite period, and protests can only be held after permission from the concerned authorities.
The court had also suggested that the government must consider granting permission for the protest in the Kharghar area of Navi Mumbai, but the demands of the protest to be held in Azad Maidan were ultimately approved by the authorities.
After granting permission to Manoj Jarange to hold the protest at Azad Maidan for a day, the Azad Maidan police further extended the permission for one more day.
Manoj Jarange, the Maratha quota activist, on Sunday, asserted that he would not leave Mumbai till his demands are met. On Monday, the petitioner moved an application seeking an urgent hearing of the plea, raising concerns about the inconvenience caused to people due to the ongoing protests.
(With inputs from PTI)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
