NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a Dec. 16 petition asking for instructions from authorities to immediately remove farmers protesting at various border points in Delhi against three new farm laws, saying travelers are facing difficulties due to road blocks and meetings can lead to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
According to the high court website, a bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian will hear the guilty plea filed by law student Rishabh Sharma, who has also asked authorities for instructions to open the roads on the borders of Delhi, change the protesters to the assigned location and provide guidelines on social distancing and wearing masks at the protest site to slow the spread of Covid-19.
The petition claims that the Delhi Police had allowed protesters to hold a peaceful demonstration on the Nirankari field in Burari here on 27 November, but have nevertheless blocked the borders of the national capital.
“Due to the ongoing protest at the Delhi borders, protesters blocked roads and closed border points, which has affected vehicle traffic and people traveling to and from Delhi for medical treatment in public / private hospitals. renowned. “said the statement, filed through attorney Om Prakash Parihar.
He referred to the resolution of October 7 of the highest court, issued on a lawsuit against the blocking of a road in the Shaheen bagh here by those protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which says that public spaces cannot be occupied indefinitely and that demonstrations expressing disagreement should be held only in designated places.
Referring to government-issued Covid-19 guidelines, the petition says that despite warnings not to hold large gatherings amid the pandemic, thousands of farmers have gathered at the borders of Delhi and this could lead to a increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
It is pertinent to note that in view of preventing the community spread of the coronavirus pandemic disease (Covid-19), there is a great need to withdraw the rallies and this protest is further blocking the roads for all medical / emergency services. , which are very necessary to be supplied within the territory of Delhi to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
“The petitioner is seeking an urgent order from this court for the immediate removal / dispersal of such a mass gathering of protesters on the borders of Delhi and transferring them to the place already assigned by the Delhi police in view of an immediate threat of infection and spread of the coronavirus, “read the plea.
He added that protesters can continue to protest peacefully after the coronavirus threat ends and, considering that the number of Covid cases is increasing, it is paramount that the protest stop immediately.
The statement said that due to ongoing protests, the movement of trafficking has been disrupted at various border points in the national capital as police have kept key routes connecting Delhi to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh closed in the face of the unrest.
At least five rounds of formal talks have been held between the Center and representatives of thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, but the stalemate has continued with unions sticking to their main demand for repeal of the three contentious laws and repeatedly rejecting the government’s offer to make certain changes to the laws and give guarantees or written clarifications on some issues, such as the minimum support price (MSP) and the “mandi” system (wholesale market).
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