Warning to Jarange: Hands Off Mumbai, as stated by Shobhaa De

In the heart of India's financial capital, Mumbai, chaos reigned for four days straight as Maratha activist Manoj Jarange led unprecedented protests demanding community reservation in Maharashtra.

Jarange's supporters took over tracts of South Mumbai, causing major disruptions to daily life. Historic landmarks were used as public latrines, and citizens were barred from accessing their homes and workplaces. The mayhem caused by Jarange's supporters included obstruction and destruction in various areas of Mumbai.

Despite the turmoil, the city's additional municipal commissioner, Ashwini Joshi, managed to handle the situation without significant collateral damage. The large number of police personnel, including 12 DCPs, 14 ACPs, 52 police inspectors, 250 APIs and PSIs, 6 SRPF teams, along with the CISF and Rapid Action Force contingents from Gujarat and Delhi, were present to maintain order.

The protests, backed by over one lakh Marathas from across the state, were fuelled by big money. Jarange attempted to bring Mumbai to a standstill and accede to his demands, but failed. The city's high-level meetings or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were not implemented during the protest.

The absence of political leadership during the crisis was alarming. Questions were asked about who fiddled while Mumbai sank and stank. Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, stated that Marathas are not terrorists, but his remark seemed to add fuel to the fire and provoke opponents.

The delayed solution to the situation came from the courts, as the administration showed apathy. Jarange's supporters received online hate and threats, accusing him of being an aggressive, inconsiderate, and self-centered activist.

However, Jarange admitted that his followers "overdid a few things," but justified it as a result of decades of suffering. After four days, the Maratha Marauders, led by Manoj Jarange, left Mumbai, claiming a "victory." The city of Mumbai quickly regained its normalcy, with Fashion Street becoming crowded and the Bombay Gymkhana reopening.

The incident has sparked discussions about singling out specific groups for discrimination, as there are other groups that may also face similar issues. The person behind the high-profile protest by Jarange is the activist Manoj Jarange, who led a hunger strike demanding Maratha community reservation in Maharashtra. Amit Shah, India's home minister, visited a beloved deity in Mumbai while the city was in chaos, with roads being closed and darshan denied to devotees.