The Supreme Court Bar Association has urged the Chief Justice of India to initiate suo motu action against farmers participating in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest. The association seeks the CJI’s intervention to address concerns regarding the farmers’ actions during the protest.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), President of Adish Aggarwala, wrote a letter on Tuesday to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud. He urged the CJI to take action against farmers trying to enter Delhi forcefully, disrupting citizens’ lives. Aggarwala also asked CJI Chandrachud to direct courts not to issue adverse orders when lawyers are absent.
The ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, led by 200 farmers’ unions, is urging the Centre to meet various demands. These include ensuring a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops, forgiving all farm debts, providing pensions for farmers, and implementing recommendations from the Swaminathan Commission.
On February 13, security was increased at Delhi’s borders. Police have set up barricades and suspended internet services in some districts. Section 144 has been enforced at the Uttar Pradesh borders to maintain order.
Multiple layers of barricades, with wires, nails, concrete blocks, and containers, have been placed at entry points to Delhi. Due to traffic restrictions and heightened security, commuters have faced difficulties traveling between Delhi and nearby NCR towns.
“I am compelled to write this letter to bring to your kind notice that despite the best efforts of the Government of India to protect the interest of the farmers, some farmers are enroute to Delhi from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab and are gearing up for a large-scale protest in the national capital on February 13,”
–Adish Aggarwala stated in the letter.
“Earlier, in 2021 and 2022, three Delhi borders with the neighbouring states remained blocked for several months due to a similar protest, causing hardship to the general public. It is also a matter of record that many persons died while trying to come to Delhi for better medical treatment but could not reach Delhi hospitals in time due to road blockades,”
-The letter stated.
“In light of today’s farmers’ protest, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh Police have heightened security at the Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri borders, setting up nails and road barricades to deter vehicles transporting protesters from entering Delhi. Additionally, cranes and earthmovers are being employed to place large containers on the roads to obstruct their free passage into the Union Capital,”
–it added.
READ ALSO: BREAKING | Supreme Court Quashes Defamation Complaint Against Tejashwi Yadav
Last night, three Union Ministers held a meeting with the farmers in Chandigarh and the ministers said that a consensus was reached on most issues and a formula was proposed for resolving some other issues through the formation of a Committee, the letter. “We are still hopeful that farmer bodies will hold talks. We will try to resolve these issues in the coming days,” a statement by the Government said.
“It is suspected that this protest is politically motivated ahead of the forthcoming Parliament election.”
The letter further stated,
Even if the farmers have genuine demands, they don’t have the right to put the general public into hardship. This is the right time when the Hon’ble Supreme Court should act suo motu and ensure that these farmers don’t create any nuisance and cause huge inconvenience to the general public,
–Further, it added.
“Their right to protest should not be allowed to impede the common citizens’ right to lead their lives without any problem,” the letter said.
Needless to say, in these circumstances, our lawyers, not only those who practice in the Supreme Court but also those who practice in the Delhi High Court, different Commissions and Tribunals and the District Courts, will be facing huge challenges to attend court proceedings.
–he added.
“I request Your Lordship to issue requisite instructions to all concerned not to pass any “adverse orders due to non-appearance in any matter” listed before the above- mentioned courts till there are obstacles in free movement of the public on Delhi borders due to farmers’ agitation,”
–stated Adish Aggarwala in the letter.
READ LETTER:
