Maratha quota agitation: As Bombay HC deadline passes, police clear roads; Manoj Jarange Patil vows to stay at Azad Maidan
Jarange Patil declared that the agitation will continue until the Satara and Hyderabad gazettes are implemented. “I will not leave Mumbai till our demands are met,” he said.
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Rapid Action Force personnel stand guard outside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in view of activist Manoj Jarange Patil's hunger strike demanding Maratha reservation, in Mumbai, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (PTI Photo)As the Bombay High Court’s 3 pm deadline for Maratha quota protesters to clear Mumbai’s streets expired on Tuesday, the Mumbai police swung into action to remove vehicles parked illegally near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters. Security was also stepped up with the deployment of Mumbai Police and the Rapid Action Force to avert any untoward incident.
Police teams used loudspeakers to request protesters to clear the roads and confine themselves to Azad Maidan, as per the court order. “After 3 pm, protesters should not be roaming on the road and must remain only at Azad Maidan,” a senior police officer said.
Earlier, the high court had asked Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil and other protesters agitating at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan to comply with court orders, saying it would otherwise take necessary steps, including issuing contempt of court action and imposing exemplary costs.
The development came even as Jarange Patil reiterated that he would not leave Azad Maidan under any circumstances until the government met his demands. “Even if I die, I will not leave Azad Maidan. If the government tries to evict us, it will prove costly. You might charge lathis on Marathas today, but you will also have to visit different parts of Maharashtra. If you want to see what Marathas are after 350 years, then go ahead and try to remove us,” Jarange Patil said.
Jarange Patil, who is on a hunger strike, however, instructed his supporters to respect the court’s directions and not inconvenience Mumbai citizens. “You travel by public transport, do not bring vehicles. Even if I die, do not resort to violence. Follow the path of peace…,” he told his followers.
Following his appeal, several vehicles began moving from outside CSMT and the BMC building. Maratha leaders also announced that while around 5,000 protesters would remain at Azad Maidan, others should proceed to Navi Mumbai, where arrangements have been made at Cidco Centre in Vashi.
Jarange Patil declared that the agitation will continue until the Satara and Hyderabad gazettes are implemented. “I will not leave Mumbai till our demands are met,” he said.
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