Farmers Movement Archive

If you want to shift to Ramlila Maidan, seek Delhi police nod: SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to protesting farmers unions on a plea by Delhi Police seeking to restrain them from carrying out their proposed tractor rally on Republic Day. The apex court sought response from them by Monday. A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde entertained an application filed by the Union ministry of home affairs through joint commissioner of Delhi Police (New Delhi Range) Jaspal Singh, who said that Republic Day celebrations, preceded by rehearsals by the armed forces and followed by Beating the Retreat and Martyr’s Day function, would be disrupted by such tractor rally and dent the prestige of the country in India and abroad. The ministry through solicitor general Tushar Mehta said, “It has come to the knowledge of the security agencies through various sources that the small group of protesting individuals/organisations have planned to carry out a tractor/trolley/vehicle march on Republic Day. The proposed march is slated to disturb and disrupt the august celebrations of the nation on Republic Day and would be bound to create a massive law and order situation.” The Union government said that the right to protest is always subject to the countervailing public order and the public interest. When senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for a petitioner, said the farmers should be allowed to protest at Ramlila Maidan for effectively registering their angst against the farm laws, the Supreme Court asked whether the farmers’ unions have made any application to the Delhi Police for this purpose. Attorney general K K Venugopal said allowing one lakh persons to enter the capital would be out of question as “one does not know what its fall out would be”. The apex court bench observed, “it is squarely within the domain of the police, which maintains law and order, to decide whether to permit the farmers to hold protests at Ramlila Maidan. Law and order issues cannot be handled by the courts. But, if the police permits protests to be held at Ramlila Maidan and imposes conditions, these have to be strictly followed by the protesters.” For full report, visit toi.in

The Times of India

2021-01-13

Delhi