LI NETWORK
The Apex Court said that a protest cannot block the entrance to the capital.
The Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said this while hearing the petition by a law student seeking removal of protesting farmers from the Delhi borders in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the inconvenience being caused by the same.
The Supreme Court of India said, “A protest is constitutional till it does not destroy property or endanger life. The Centre and farmers have to talk; we are thinking of an impartial and independent committee before whom both parties can give its side of story to resolve impasse on farm laws.”
The CJI highlighted setting up an independent committee and said the members can include “P Sainath, Bhartiya Kisan Union, and others as members.”
CJI Bobde further told the farmers, “You cannot instigate violence and cannot block a city like this.”
AG Venugopal pointed out the non-compliance of the COVID-19 guidelines being done by the farmers.
He said, “None of them wears a face mask, they sit together in large numbers. Covid-19 is a concern, they will visit villages and spread it there. Farmers cannot violate the fundamental rights of others.”