Maratha quota activists assault BEST passenger, Bombay HC orders Mumbai streets to be cleared

Maratha protests

A tense situation unfolded in Mumbai as the Maratha quota agitation turned unruly on Sunday when protesters allegedly assaulted a passenger and vandalised a bus at Juhu station.

According to a report by News18, the incident occurred around 7.15 pm when a BEST bus from the Santacruz Depot was parked at the station without staff inside. An argument broke out between some passengers and agitators, during which the protesters dragged a passenger inside the bus, assaulted him, and smashed a windowpane.

Against this backdrop, the Bombay High Court on Monday came down heavily on the agitation, observing that Mumbai had been virtually brought to a standstill. The bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad noted that the protest was no longer peaceful, as claimed, and had gone against earlier assurances.

They highlighted that protesters were not restricting themselves to the designated site at Azad Maidan but had spread out across several parts of south Mumbai, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Churchgate station, Juhu Beach, and even the High Court’s own entry gates, blocking access for judges and lawyers, news agency PTI reported.

Calling the situation “grim,” the court directed activist Manoj Jarange and his followers to vacate the streets and clean up the city by Tuesday noon. “We are giving Jarange and his supporters an opportunity to immediately rectify the situation. The roads must be vacated and cleaned by Tuesday noon,” the judges said.

In response, Jarange appealed to his supporters from Azad Maidan to maintain discipline and follow the court’s directives. He urged them not to block roads, trouble Mumbaikars, or indulge in violence. “Don’t trouble Mumbaikars. Those who do not want to listen to me can return to their villages,” he said, adding that those misbehaving were tarnishing the community’s image.

Jarange reiterated that he would not leave Mumbai until Marathas secured reservation under the OBC category but warned his supporters against unruly behaviour.