Overview
- Priests, students, teachers, alumni and Girgaum residents rallied at Azad Maidan on February 2 to oppose the state’s transfer of the Marine Drive ground to the Jain International Organisation.
- Church leaders said the decision harms minority interests and public sports access, urging the government to return management to Wilson College or ensure the site is reserved for sports.
- JIO stated it lawfully took possession after the prior lease was not renewed and is leveling the ground, repairing the compound and permitting free play via booked time slots with security present.
- Activists and local youth alleged barricades and bouncers were stopping neighborhood children from entering, a characterization not reflected in JIO’s account.
- The case spans multiple forums, with a Special Leave Petition listed in the Supreme Court on February 3 following the collector’s 2023 takeover, a 2024 tribunal ruling and the state’s March 2024 lease transfer.