Bombay High Court slams police: "Are citizens slaves of the government? It is our right to protest!"

In a massive victory for free speech, the Bombay High Court has sent a strong message to the police and the government: protesting peacefully is a fundamental right, not a crime. On July 2, 2026, Justice Madhav Jamdar completely cancelled a one-year "externment" order - a ban that kicked a political activist named Saeed Ahmad Chaudhary out of his local area just because he led protests and shouted slogans against the ruling party.

The case involves Chaudhary, a 49-year-old activist who had been organizing peaceful marches and sit-ins against various central government decisions. The Mumbai police didn't like this and filed five separate cases against him. To stop him completely, the Deputy Commissioner of Police issued an order banning Chaudhary from entering the area for an entire year. Chaudhary refused to sit quiet and challenged this ban in the High Court.

During the hearing, Justice Jamdar lost his cool at the police for abusing their power. He openly asked why citizens are being treated like slaves who aren't allowed to agitate or raise slogans like "BJP Government Murdabad" or "Amit Shah Murdabad". The judge pointed out that with so many exam paper leaks happening recently, it is only natural for the public to be angry. He strictly reminded the police that they are public servants, not the personal servants of the Chief Minister or the Prime Minister.

The judge also took a hilarious, sarcastic dig at the current political drama in Maharashtra. He joked that instead of discussing real issues, politicians are busy shifting from one party to another. He even told the activist that if he wanted his police cases cleared, he should just "switch sides" because a political "washing machine" is running in the state to clean everyone’s records.

In his final judgment, Justice Jamdar officially cancelled the ban on Chaudhary, calling the police action dishonest and illegal. He stated that under the Indian Constitution, every single citizen has the right to live with dignity and express dissent. The court made it clear that opposing government policies or shouting slogans can never be a legal reason to banish a citizen from their home.