New Delhi:
The farmers’ protest on the borders of Delhi, which turns 23 days, must continue and the national capital cannot be blocked, the Supreme Court said today when hearing a series of petitions on the matter. Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, who said yesterday that the matter should be turned over to a committee, said the panel should have “independent members with knowledge of agriculture and listen to both sides and report on what needs to be done.” . Meanwhile, “the protests can continue without violence and the police will do nothing (to stop the protests),” said the Chief Justice.
However, there was a cyclist: protesters cannot block city roads or harm lives or property, the court said.
Lead attorney Harish Salve, who represented one of the petitioners, said that “the protests cannot be just to protest, but to articulate points of view,” the court said, “that’s exactly what we mean.”
“The purpose of the protest must be fulfilled by non-violent means. Protests must be about issues. The aggrieved parties must be able to articulate and the party that caused the problem must be able to respond,” said Chief Justice Bobde.
When the Center, declaring that the farmers simply cannot demand the repeal of the laws, insisted on a meeting where each clause can be discussed, the court said: “We observed yesterday that the Center is not successful in the negotiations. It does not think that the Farmers will accept your conclusions. Let the committee decide. “
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram, who represented the Delhi government, said: “If so many amendments are made, the original law is untraceable. Farmers say this law is not acceptable. So bring a new law and let the parliament argue. “
The court, which was hearing a lot of petitions for and against the protest, said it will not accept a call on the validity of the controversial agricultural laws passed in September that are at the center of the furor.
“We are in the ongoing protests and the fundamental rights of citizens to move freely … the validity of the laws will have to wait,” said Chief Justice Bobde.
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