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‘Protest a constitutional right but...’: Supreme Court hears plea seeking removal of protesting farmers from Delhi borders
Attorney General KK Venugopal said that the farmers are violating Covid-19 guidelines which could lead to spread of the infection.
The Supreme Court on Thursday said that the farmers protesting near Delhi cannot block a city. The remarks were made by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde while hearing a petition seeking to remove protesting farmers from Delhi border areas. The petitioner - a law student - has cited inconvenience at border areas of the national capital and threat of Covid-19 as grounds for seeking the removal of protesting farmers.
“A protest is constitutional till it does not destroy property or endanger life. The Centre and farmers have to talk; we are thinking of an impartial and independent committee before whom both parties can give its side of story to resolve impasse on farm laws,” news agency ANI quoted the CJI as saying.
“The independent committee can have P Sainath, Bhartiya Kisan Union and others as members. You (farmers) cannot instigate violence and cannot block a city like this,” CJI Bobde further said.
He also said that the committee will give a finding which should be followed and the protest can go on in the meanwhile.
Attorney General KK Venugopal said that the farmers are violating Covid-19 guidelines which could lead to spread of the infection in their villages. “None of them wears a face mask, they sit together in large numbers. Covid-19 is a concern, they will visit villages and spread it there. Farmers cannot violate the fundamental rights of others,” said Venugopal.
The hearing is continuing in the case.
On Wednesday, the top court had issued a notice to the Centre and others. The bench comprising CJI Bobde, justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian also indicated that the court may form a committee having representatives of the government and the farmer unions across the country to resolve the deadlock over the legislations.
The Centre has told the Supreme Court that it will not do anything against the interest of farmers.
