Police clear South Mumbai crowds

Mumbai: After a judge was forced to walk down a jammed road, the Bombay High Court vented its strong displeasure at the state government and the ongoing Maratha quotas protest organisers, even as the police swung into action to clear out the crowds at Azad Maidan defying the court orders.

Coming down heavily on the administration for ‘inaction’, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice S. V. Chandrashekar and Justice Arti Sathe took to task Advocate-General Birendra Saraf why the court orders were not implemented despite several days of disruption in Mumbai, plus its morning directives on the issue.

Saraf informed the court that the Mumbai Police had served a notice to the protestors, their leader and Shivba Sanghatana chief Manoj Jarange-Patil, making loudspeaker announcements, put up banners, etc., but some were honouring the court orders and others were ignoring.

“We have served a notice to Jarange-Patil… He being a very influential person can make a genuine effort to make his followers… Only his appeal can help disperse the crowds,” submitted Saraf.

At this, Acting CJ Chandrashekar was visibly annoyed and asked: “So, you are relying on his popularity? Why can’t you implement our orders? You could have got it forcefully vacated… This is very serious, we are very, very unhappy with your conduct. Can we permit breach and violation of our orders, that too for days together?”

When Senior Advocate Satish Maneshinde said that his client had asked 90 percent of the vehicles to leave, the judges asked, “why are you (Jarange-Patil) still sitting there when you had only 24 hours permission”, demanding by what authority he was still camping at Azad Maidan.

Maneshinde contended that Jarange-Patil could not shift venues now nor take the crowds to any other location at this stage, and urged the court to adjourn the hearing till tomorrow.

While the court hearing into various PIL’s continued, Mumbai Police along with Rapid Action Force, Riot Control Police started clearing out the Marathas from the key areas of south Mumbai, with Deputy Commissioner of Police (I) appealing to the protestors to disperse, and cooperate with the police who are following the court orders.

Many demonstrators were seen complying, packing up their belongings, moving out the food and water supply trucks and vans and by late afternoon, signs of normalcy were evident, as the court matter was adjourned till Wednesday afternoon.

Turning attention to Jarange-Patil for his sit-in protest beyond the initial 24-hour period  granted, the court asked if there could be a solution if he camped at Azad Maidan with his 5,000 followers, but Maneshinde pointed out that the protest was absolutely peaceful though the police notice stated that some rules were flouted.

Meanwhile, as Ministers and government officials swooped to Azad Maidan, Jarange-Patil repeatedly said that he would not leave till the government grants quotas to Marathas under the OCB category, continuing the standoff.

Nevertheless, the court hinted at stringent measures in its order noting that Jarange-Patil may be held responsible for instigating and abetting his followers to flock to Mumbai beyond 5,000, plus he and others would be answerable to other serious issues involved.

The judges made it clear that “the Majesty of the Law” would be upheld at any cost and earned that “any breach of this court’s order shall not be tolerated and appropriate action will be taken against violators”.

Tough Court-Speak:

@ “We are reluctant to pass any coercive order since already a court order permitted you to sit there but you need to respect the rule of law too.”

@ “See how influential you are...You have a great influence on the masses...He cannot encash people like this...He cannot misuse his influence... We are not going to write this but you need to understand this...Also, the main (quotas) matter is pending in court, why did you not intervene there and make such demands now?”

Clearing protesters forcibly will cause disturbance during Ganesh festival: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday accused the Mahayuti government of creating anarchy and said forcibly removing protesters gathered in the city for the Maratha quota agitation would lead to disturbance in the state during the Ganesh festival.

Some are "working behind the curtain", he said, without naming anyone.

"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis set his house on fire by engineering a split in the Shiv Sena, and he will now realise the mess he has created in the state. They (ministers) are from his allied parties. Some are seeking political gains through this agitation," the Rajya Sabha MP claimed.

He said Maratha protesters squatting in the city's streets are not infiltrators, terrorists or from other states.

Raut further disagreed with the Bombay High Court's order, asking activist Manoj Jarange to direct his protesters to vacate the streets.

Mumbai belongs to Marathi manoos and the high court needs to be sensitive towards the protesters, he said.

"If protesters are forcibly cleared, Maharashtra will be disturbed during the Ganesh festival," Raut said.

Mumbai police start removing protesters' vehicles

With the Bombay High Court on Tuesday directing Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange and his supporters to vacate Azad Maidan, the Mumbai police have begun clearing vehicles belonging to protesters parked in areas around the protest venue.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Pravin Mundhe, along with a large number of police personnel, was on the road requesting protesters to clear their vehicles parked along Mahapalika Marg near the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters and Azad Maidan.

Mundhe was seen using a public announcement system to request protesters, urging them to cooperate with the police.

Protesters, however, appeared to be resisting police intervention, citing that their vehicles, including trucks and tempos, carried essentials such as food and water.

Heated exchanges took place between the police officers and protesters, and an additional force of riot police was called in to tackle the situation.

Police personnel were also gheraoed by protesters at some spots.

Officials, however, pacified the protesters, assuring them of alternative parking arrangements and asking them to take some vehicles to Navi Mumbai.

Maratha protesters removed from CSMT

Security personnel on Tuesday removed Maratha quota protesters from CSMT premises, which they had been occupying for the last four days, officials said.

The move followed the Bombay HC order directing quota leader Manoj Jararnge and his supporters to vacate the nearby Azad Maidan by 3 PM.

GRP and RPF personnel, 60 jawans of the Riot Control Force, have been deployed at the busiest CSMT station in south Mumbai, a senior GRP official said.

Maratha quota protesters have been camping at CSMT for the last four days, inconveniencing passengers.

Protesters at CSMT suburban concourse and platforms were removed.

Protesters assaulted in road rage incident

A group of protesters gathered for the Maratha quota agitation was allegedly assaulted by unidentified persons in a road rage incident in Navi Mumbai, police said on Tuesday.

A case has been registered against 10 persons for the attack that took place in the Panvel area on Sunday afternoon, an official said.

He said that a pick-up van with protesters on board touched a car in front of it near the Deravali Bridge, following which a heated argument occurred between the driver and protesters.

After some time, the car driver called his associates, and they allegedly assaulted the protesters and fled the spot, the official said.

One of the victims, Chandrakant Thorandler, lodged a complaint with the police, and an FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Act for assault and rioting, he said, adding that a probe is underway.