Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday refused to hear on an urgent basis the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on a rally, hunger strike, and protests planned by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange in Mumbai after January 20. Jarange reiterated that he will enter Mumbai with at least three crore Marathas.
Petitioner Hemant Patil has moved the petition. Advocate R.N. Kachhwe, appearing for the petitioner, said that around one-two crore people led by Jarange will enter Mumbai and sought the court’s order to stop him from entering the city. He also sought registration of FIR against the quota activist for breach of peace, public nuisance and sedition.
A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif S. Doctor refused to entertain the petition and told the petitioner to approach concerned authorities.
The court said it cannot act on mere suspicion that one-two crore are going to assemble in Mumbai. “We are not sitting here to maintain law and order,” the bench observed.
Questioning the petitioner, the bench pointed out that the permission for the march is given by authorities and not by the court. It added that courts cannot entertaining petitions based on apprehensions. “What is our role in such a matter? Is there any role of the court?” the bench asked.
Meanwhile, Jarange said that the march will take place as planned and there will be more than three crore marching with him.
“We have finalised our route to Mumbai. We had a meeting regarding it today also. We are also taking stock of the places where we will halt enroute Mumbai and whether these places have required arrangements. I will hold a press conference and announce the final programme. But it is certain that we will march to Mumbai,” Jarange said.
The activist has announced that the Marathas will go to Mumbai from Antarwali (where he previously sat on fast in Ambad tehsil in Jalna district). The march will start on January 2 and reach Mumbai in four to five days. “We gave seven months to the government to find a solution to our demand for reservation. How much more can we wait? We are getting a feeling that the government is deliberately adopting delaying tactics,” he said.
The Mumbai agitation will be the third time Jarange will be going on hunger strike for his demand of Maratha reservation. He had undertaken the first hunger strike from August 29 to September 14, which he ended after receiving assurances from Shinde regarding the issuance of Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas in the Marathwada region. From October 25, he went on another hunger strike, concluding it on November 2 after nine days.
