Bombay High Court asks Manoj Jarange to clarify his role in damages during Maratha quota stir

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday (September 3, 2025) directed activist Manoj Jarange Patil and organisers of the Maratha reservation protest in Mumbai to file affidavits responding to allegations of large-scale damage to public property during the five-day agitation.

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe were informed by Mr. Jarange’s advocates that the agitation had been “called off after the issue was resolved on September 2 evening”. While the Bench noted the submission, it said Mr. Jarange and other organisers must still respond to the serious charges raised in multiple petitions.

The Court also questioned the Maharashtra government and the protest organisers about reports of vandalism during the demonstrations. “There are some issues. Who will take care of this? Large-scale damages were caused to public property. Who will pay for that?” the Acting Chief Justice asked.

Senior advocates Satish Maneshinde and V. M. Thorat, appearing for Mr. Jarange and other organisations, denied the allegations, stating that no public property had been damaged during the protest. “Those are old photos. This time there has not been any damage to public properties in Mumbai. There are some FIRs and I think it will take care,” Mr. Maneshinde said.

The Bench, however, directed Mr. Jarange and the protest organisers to submit affidavits clarifying their stand. “You are denying it, but there are photos of policemen injured. You file an affidavit stating that you (Mr. Jarange and other organisers) were not the instigators. You have to say that you are not responsible for any damage and did not instigate the protestors. Everything done is voluntarily by the protestors. There has to be a statement that they were not behind this; otherwise, we cannot dispose of the PIL,” the Bench said, giving them four weeks to respond.

On Tuesday (September 2, 2025), Mr. Jarange withdrew the agitation after receiving the official Government Resolution (GR) on the implementation of the Hyderabad gazette, which grants Kunbi status to Marathas from the Marathwada region. He welcomed the decision, stating that six of his eight demands had been accepted, while the remaining three gazettes would take at least a month to process.

The High Court on Tuesday (September 2, 2025) also criticised the Maharashtra government’s handling of the agitation, calling the situation “very serious” and warning of strict action if law and order were not restored. The judges asked the State to explain the steps taken to comply with the court’s August 26 order, including using loudspeaker announcements, ensuring citizens’ safety, and maintaining public order. The Bench also expressed displeasure over reports of protestors “dancing on the roads” even as parts of Mumbai faced significant disruption.

The Court further ordered Mr. Jarange and his supporters to vacate Azad Maidan, where the protest had been staged without permission, calling the occupation illegal. However, it later permitted them to remain at the venue until Wednesday (September 3, 2025) morning after Mr. Jarange’s counsel assured the Bench that a resolution was imminent.

Mr. Jarange had launched an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan on August 29 demanding a Maratha reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Following the issuance of the GR, Mr. Jarange and his supporters vacated Azad Maidan. The government has also formed a committee to oversee the process of granting certificates to those eligible under the Kunbi classification, a social group recognised under the OBC quota in Maharashtra.