The Bombay High Court on Tuesday strongly criticised Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange and his supporters for illegally continuing their protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, calling the gathering of over 50,000 people “completely illegal” and disruptive to public life.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe directed that the protest site be cleared by 3 PM, stating that the agitation had created fear among citizens and paralyzed the city’s routine functioning.

“This is a very serious situation. We are not satisfied with the state government either — there appears to be a lapse on its part as well,” the bench observed, pulling up the authorities for failing to control the situation.

The court made it clear that Jarange and his supporters had no legal right to occupy Azad Maidan without permission. “They are violators. They must vacate immediately or we will take action,” the court said, adding that law and order cannot be compromised.

Apology Offered, But Court Unmoved

Senior advocate Satish Maneshinde, representing Jarange, apologised on his client’s behalf for the misbehaviour by some of the protesters. He assured the court that Jarange had always urged peaceful conduct and would continue to do so.

However, the bench remained firm, pointing out that on Monday, protesters had surrounded the High Court itself, obstructing judicial proceedings. “It cannot be that the High Court was under siege and a judge had to walk to court,” the judges said.

When asked whether Jarange and his supporters had vacated the premises, the court reiterated, “This is completely illegal. After 3 PM, we will not allow anyone at Azad Maidan. If not cleared, we will impose exemplary costs or initiate contempt proceedings. We want complete normalcy by 3 PM, or we will go out on the streets ourselves.”

Permission Still Pending

Maneshinde informed the court that Jarange had submitted an application seeking permission to protest at Azad Maidan over a month ago, but no order had been passed. He said the government was informed four months in advance, but arrangements were never made.

The court, however, pointed out that even if permission was pending, the protest could not be carried out illegally. “You cannot occupy Azad Maidan in anticipation of approval,” the bench said.

The judges also noted that the original approval, if granted, was only for 5,000 people, not for the tens of thousands who had swarmed Mumbai. “Once you saw more than 50,000 people had arrived, what steps did you take to control the crowd? Did you ask them to leave Mumbai?” the court asked.

In response, Maneshinde said Jarange had appealed to his supporters through the media to maintain peace and vacate the streets. He added that following the court’s directions on Monday, all roads had been cleared and vehicular movement had resumed.

Hunger Strike Continues

Jarange has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan since August 29, demanding a 10% reservation for the Maratha community under the OBC category. He has vowed not to leave Mumbai until the government meets his demands.

The court, however, urged him and his supporters to take a “pragmatic view” of the situation and comply with the law.

The matter has been posted for further hearing later in the day.