Jarange-Patil to Press On With Mumbai March Despite Falling Health
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil will continue his march to Mumbai despite deteriorating health, as a petition seeks to stop the protest.
Maratha reservation campaigner Manoj Jarange-Patil has said he will go ahead with his march to Mumbai, even as his health worsens. He is currently resting in Patoda in Beed district and intends to set out for the state capital on Thursday at 1 p.m., with the aim of reaching Azad Maidan on Friday at 10 a.m.
Speaking on Wednesday, he said he would announce later the date on which members of the Maratha community should gather in Mumbai, explaining that the government has sent him a draft that he will study before deciding. The revised schedule means the march will no longer halt at Shrigonda in Ahilyanagar district or at Hadapsar in Pune as originally planned.
Beed District Surgeon Dr. Satish Solanke has confirmed that his blood pressure and blood sugar levels have fallen.
Petition filed in High Court
In Mumbai, the Amy Foundation has moved the Bombay High Court seeking to bar permission for a protest in the city. The petition argues that allowing the demonstration could lead to the closure of public roads and spaces, as happened during last year's agitation. Advocate Mahendra Ratna said the gathering would draw large crowds and inconvenience residents, particularly with Ganeshotsav under way. The court is expected to hear the matter on Thursday.
Jarange-Patil has already had two requests for permission turned down by the Mumbai Police. He has been on an indefinite hunger strike since August 29.