Choose 'court or the road': SC to farmers protesting against three laws
- Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also argued, "Once the matter is before the highest constitutional court, nobody can be on the streets on the same issue."
The Supreme Court on Monday asked farmers agitating against the Centre's new agricultural laws what their protest is against, since the contentious legislations have "already been stayed." The court was hearing a petition by farmers' body, seeking permission to stage a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
"Where is the question of going on protest once a party has already approached the court challenging the validity of the laws," a bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and CT Ravikumar asked while hearing the plea, according to a report by news agency PTI.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also argued, "Once the matter is before the highest constitutional court, nobody can be on the streets on the same issue."
Advocate Ajay Chaudhary, who was arguing on behalf of the petitioner, Kisan Mahapanchayat, clarified his stand and said that the protests are not limited to the enactment of the laws. They "also seek the implementation of Minimum Support Price as a statutory right, among other issues," Chaudhary reportedly said.
Referring to the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which at least eight people, including four farmers, were killed India’s Attorney General KK Venugopal argued that the protests cannot go on forever. The bench agreed with the Attorney General and said, "exactly! Nobody takes responsibility when such incidents happen."
The bench further said that the petitioner could "either challenge the law in court or protest on road," LiveLaw reported. “Either choose the court or the road," the bench reportedly remarked.
The court October 21 as the next date of hearing.
‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’, a unified body of farmers and agriculturists, and its president are seeking directions to the authorities to provide space to at least 200 protesters at Jantar Mantar for a peaceful and non-violent demonstration.
They are protesting against the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
The three legislations were enacted last year in September and since then the farmers have taken to the streets, demanding repeal of the laws.