MUMBAI: The Mumbai police on Wednesday permitted Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil to hold a protest meeting at the city’s Azad Maidan on August 29, but imposed a 5,000 cap on the number of people who could be present in the designated area, according to people familiar with the matter.
The approval from Mumbai’s Azad Maidan police station came a day after the Bombay high court underscored that the activist could not hold his protest without prior permission from the police.
Jarange-Patil, who started his 400km journey from Jalna district’s Anatarwali Sarati on Wednesday morning, long before the police decision was communicated, has announced an indefinite hunger strike to press his demand for the inclusion of Marathas in the other backward classes (OBC) quota.
In the letter issued by Azad Maidan police station, Jarange-Patil was told that the police permission would be granted for only one day at a time and that it would not be given for Saturdays, Sundays, or government holidays.
The letter also imposed caps on the strength of the assembly.
“Only a specific number of vehicles will be allowed. Protesters’ vehicles can come via the Eastern Freeway up to Wadi Bunder. After that, only five vehicles, along with that of the main leader, will be allowed entry into Azad Maidan. All other vehicles must be parked at locations designated by the police. A maximum of 5,000 people can participate in the protest in the designated space of 7,000 square meters at Azad Maidan. Since other protesters also have permission for the same day, their rights must not be affected,” the letter said.
{{/usCountry}}“Only a specific number of vehicles will be allowed. Protesters’ vehicles can come via the Eastern Freeway up to Wadi Bunder. After that, only five vehicles, along with that of the main leader, will be allowed entry into Azad Maidan. All other vehicles must be parked at locations designated by the police. A maximum of 5,000 people can participate in the protest in the designated space of 7,000 square meters at Azad Maidan. Since other protesters also have permission for the same day, their rights must not be affected,” the letter said.
{{/usCountry}}It also stressed that a protest march would not be allowed and that permission would be required for the use of microphones, speakers, or any noise-making devices.
The city police have also cautioned the organisers to ensure that participants in the protest do not cause disturbance to traffic, inconvenience citizens or take any other action that could hurt religious sentiments, especially in view of the Ganesh festival celebrations.
It is not clear how the organisers would be able to meet the conditions imposed by the police.
Jarange-Patil's is already accompanied by thousands of supporters travelling with him in hundreds of vehicles that choked state highway between Jalana and Pune on Wednesday. Jarange-Patil will halt at Shivneri in Pune district and begin his journey to Mumbai after paying tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Shivneri fort on Thursday morning.
Manoj Shembde Patil, who is part of the march, said Jarange Patil was being received by people at all major roads and junctions by people waiting for him for hours. "Though we were scheduled to reach Shivneri late evening, it seems difficult to reach even past midnight today,” he said.