Mumbai, Aug. 31 — Thousands of Maratha community members have turned the area around Azad Maidan in south Mumbai into a makeshift camp as they press for reservation in government jobs and education, officials said Saturday.
Protesters, many wearing saffron scarves, were seen cooking on the roads Friday night and distributing packets of khichdi and other food on Saturday. Some even took open-air baths using water supplied by tankers arranged by organisers or the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). A group of seven to eight young men was spotted bathing in a fountain near the BMC building.
As the rains eased, more protesters flooded streets near the iconic Victorian buildings of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and BMC headquarters, bringing traffic to a halt. The road outside Azad Maidan — where activist Manoj Jarange has launched an indefinite fast for the quota demand — was closed, with supporters’ vehicles parked along both sides.
“Until our community is granted reservation, we will not leave,” shouted several demonstrators, while others danced to the beats of the traditional `halgi’ drum. Some groups moved toward the Jehangir Art Gallery about a kilometre away, raising slogans, visiting local landmarks such as the Gateway of India, and thronging nearby eateries.
In Navi Mumbai, hundreds of parked vehicles carrying protesters caused congestion, and a group from Beed reportedly heckled a young couple, forcing them to leave. Some protesters blocked the road outside CSMT on Saturday morning, citing lack of BMC arrangements for shelter, water, and toilets. Jarange appealed over a microphone for the demonstrators to clear the road.
Police estimated that around 45,000 protesters arrived in south Mumbai on Friday, with about 30,000 staying overnight. Vehicles carrying demonstrators came from across Maharashtra, with a significant number from the eight districts of Marathwada, totaling roughly 8,000 vehicles, according to authorities.
