As pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil and his thousands of supporters headed towards the State capital, the Mumbai police issued a notice on Thursday, directing him to relocate his agitation from the city to Navi Mumbai due to the impracticality of accommodating such a large gathering in Mumbai.
“No ground in the city can accommodate such a large gathering and we suggest you should hold the agitation in neighbouring Navi Mumbai instead,” the police told the 41-year-old activist.
Mr. Jarange-Patil’s march which began on January 20 from Jalna district demanding Maratha quota under the OBC classification in jobs and education, reached Lonavala in the wee hours of Thursday and continued towards Mumbai in the afternoon.
Despite police suggesting to use the International Corporate Park in Kharghar for the protest, the activist plans to stage it at South Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. “A stage is being erected at Azad Maidan,” he said indicating that he had not changed his plans.
The notice issued by the senior inspector of Azad Maidan Police Station under section 149 of the Code of Criminal Procedure gives powers to police to take steps to prevent cognisable offences.
It said Mr. Jarange-Patil should adhere to directives passed by the Supreme Court and Bombay High Court from time to time regarding the conduct of agitations, earning contempt if not followed. “If the protesters fail to follow these directives, it will be considered contempt of court,” the notice said.
Mr. Jarange-Patil appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies - Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar - to address the Maratha quota issue. Despite previous meetings with official delegations yielding no progress, the activist insists on pursuing his protest, even announcing an indefinite hunger strike in Mumbai from January 26 if the government fails to grant Maratha reservation.
“Two official delegations met me earlier in the day, but they had nothing new to offer. They were deliberating on the same old points,” he said.
He said he had been informed that a larger delegation would be coming to meet him. If that happens, the activist said, they will meet the delegation midway.
“On behalf of the Maratha community, I appeal to CM Shinde and deputy CMs Mr. Fadnavis and Mr. Pawar to come together for discussion and find a solution to the issue,” Mr. Jarange-Patil said.
Earlier, addressing his supporters at Lonavala, the activist asked them to keep calm and not get provoked, insisting that theirs is a peaceful protest.
On January 24, he asserted that 54 lakh records had been found so far in Maharashtra, identifying members of the Maratha community as Kunbi, an OBC sub-caste, and urged the immediate issuance of caste certificates.
Earlier this week, Mr. Shinde, addressing the matter, urged the Maratha community not to stage protests, expressing positive government considerations toward their quota demand. He also mentioned the possibility of a special session in February to address the Maratha reservation in the State legislature.
“Over 1.5 lakh people are working in three shifts on the ongoing survey by the state Commission for Backward Classes to assess the social, economic and educational backwardness of the Maratha community,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole alleged that the State government was misleading the Marathas on quota, a reason why community members are marching to Mumbai.
“The fact that the Maratha community is coming to Mumbai is the biggest failure of the Shinde-BJP government. The Shinde-Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar government misled the Maratha community. Where are the two Ministers who held discussions with Jarange-Patil hiding,” the Congress leader questioned.
