A contempt petition has been filed in the Supreme Court Today (Mar 24) against top Punjab officials for defying its July 2024 order on the farmers’ protest at Shambhu border. Over 3,000 police personnel allegedly forcefully evicted protestors without court permission.
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NEW DELHI: A new petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of India. The petition asks the court to take strict action against top officials of Punjab, including the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary, and the Director General of Police (DGP).
The complaint says they did not follow the Supreme Court’s July 2024 order. That order had clearly said to maintain “status quo” at the Shambhu border where farmers were protesting. But these top officials are now accused of ignoring that order.
This petition was filed by a person named Sehajpreet Singh. He has told the Supreme Court that the Punjab Police carried out a “forced” action at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. In this police operation, over 3,000 police officers were sent to the site.
These officers forcefully removed the farmers who were protesting there. Their tents and camps were broken and taken away. Many farmer leaders like Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher were also taken into custody during this action. According to the petition, all this was done-
“Without obtaining any modification or permission from the Supreme Court”.
The petition says that this operation happened on March 19. It also says that the senior police officers in Punjab followed the orders of the state government. The police used heavy force to break up the farmers’ protests at both Shambhu and Khanauri borders.
The protesting farmers were taken away by force. Their protest camps were broken. Many vehicles owned by farmers were damaged or destroyed.
The petition also says that-
“The forceful removal of protestors from the agitation site was extensively covered by the media, by way of broadcast on news channels and publishing of articles in various newspapers”.
This petition was filed by Advocate-on-Record Snehpreet Kaur. It was prepared by Advocate Angrej Singh. This is not the first time such a complaint has come to the court. This is actually the second contempt petition filed against the Punjab authorities in this matter.
Earlier, another contempt petition was already filed. In that case, Punjab officials were blamed for not shifting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal to the hospital. He was on a hunger strike and needed medical help. That issue was later resolved when Dallewal agreed to take medical treatment. He also agreed to talk with the Union government.
After the Punjab government spoke to him, the protesting farmers met with Justice (Retired) Nawab Singh. He is the Chairperson of a special High-Powered Committee. This committee was made by the Supreme Court to talk with the protesting farmers and find a peaceful solution.
The Supreme Court had already given an important order on July 24, 2024. This order came after the State of Haryana filed a case in the court. Haryana was not happy with a decision by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. That court had said the Shambhu border should be unblocked. It was closed earlier in February 2024 to stop farmers from moving from Punjab to Haryana for protests.
The Supreme Court looked into the matter and gave a clear decision. It told both Punjab and Haryana governments to make and give their plans. These plans should explain how they will remove the road blockades slowly and properly.
The goal was to allow free movement of vehicles and reduce problems for common people. After that, the Supreme Court also formed a special committee to talk with the farmers and help find a good way forward.
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