India News | HC Directs Quota Activist Jarange to Allow Govt Doctors to Examine Him

Mumbai, Feb 15 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed activist Manoj Jarange, who is on a hunger strike seeking Maratha quota, to allow state government doctors to examine him and administer medical treatment.

A division bench of Justices A S Gadkand S C Chandak said when the Maharashtra government was taking all steps to ensure Jarange and others could carry out their peaceful protest then the activist should also respond to the same with some cooperation.

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The concern of the state government and every stakeholder is that the condition should not deteriorate, the HC said.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by one Gunaratan Sadavarte against the protests being held across the state amid the hunger strike declared by Jarange seeking reservations for the Maratha community in jobs and education.

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Last month, following the state government's assurance, Jarange had called off his protest march to Mumbai.

However, he went on a hunger strike from February 10 to press his demand that a law be enacted on the lines of the draft notification issued by the state social justice department last month to provide Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community.

Advocate General Birendra Saraf on Thursday told the court the state government was concerned about Jarange's health condition.

"He has not permitted state doctors to examine him medically or give him any treatment. He is only on intravenous fluids," Saraf said.

Advocate Ramesh Dube-Patil, appearing for the activist, said Jarange has taken two bottles of saline and that his health was being monitored by his own team of doctors.

The bench, however, questioned why the activist was refusing medical examination and treatment from state government doctors.

"Why can't you take treatment? You are a citizen of India so what is the problem if the state treats you medically? The state is bound to take care," the HC bench said.

"The state is understanding your right to peaceful agitation...so your response should be that you will take medical treatment," it added.

The bench asked Dube-Patil to take instructions from the activist on whether he would allow himself to be examined.

When Dube-Patil said that Jarange was unable to communicate on phone calls and he was taking instructions from his well wishers and supporters, Saraf said "that itself shows that he requires care".

The HC then directed for his medical examination and for any treatment as prescribed by the doctors.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)