World · India Bureau
Mumbai Police Question Activist Jarange Over Shifting Protest Statements
Police have sought clarification from Maratha activist Manoj Jarange following inconsistent public statements regarding a planned demonstration in the city. The development comes as authorities have repeatedly withheld permission for the proposed rally at south Mumbai's Azad Maidan.
LSN India ·
Mumbai Police have asked activist Manoj Jarange to explain contradictory statements he has made regarding a proposed protest in the city, officials said. The police action follows the activist's multiple public announcements about staging a demonstration, with varying details on timing, location and nature of the event.
Authorities have declined permission for Jarange to hold the demonstration at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on several occasions. Police cited concerns over law and order and crowd management in their rejections of the permission requests.
Jarange, a prominent voice in the Maratha community's reservation agitation, has been a vocal presence in recent months calling for various forms of protest and public mobilisation. The police request for clarification represents an attempt to establish the activist's concrete intentions amid the shifting public statements.
The matter comes amid heightened tensions over reservation-related demands in Maharashtra. Police authorities have indicated they will continue to review any future applications for public gatherings based on security and administrative considerations.