PIL seeks ban on protest over Dhangar community reservation

A PIL has urged the Bombay High Court to restrain or ban an activist from staging a protest along with his followers at the Assembly building here on August 1 to seek reservation for Dhangar community in Maharashtra, stating that it would create a law and order problem.
The PIL said that activist Hemant Patil has already advertised his protest by way of pamphlets, posters and banners. If the said protest is not restrained or banned, there is likelihood of deterioration in law and order situation in Mumbai as well as all over Maharashtra.
A similar law and order situation had arisen in Gujarat on the issue of reservation of Patidar community during agitation led by Hardik Patel. In the protest, there was business loss to the tune of crores of rupees and damage to public and private property, it said.

"If such type of situation arises in Mumbai due to the proposed protest of activist Hemant Patil on Dhangar community reservation issue on August 1, there could be a law and order problem in the state," the PIL, filed yesterday by Jitendra Bharati, said.
"Some time back, protesters demanding reservation for Dhangar community had thrown ink at the former Maharashtra Cooperatives Minister Harshvardhan Patil near Indapur in Pune district.
"During the last general elections, BJP had announced during poll campaign that it would provide reservation to Dhangar community if it comes to power. But even after assuming power in the state nothing had been done," the PIL, which is expected to come up for hearing in due course, said.

The plea sought a direction to the state government, Secretary (Home) and Police Commissioner of Mumbai to restrain Patil and his followers from staging their protest at the Assembly building demanding reservation for Dhangar community.