Blockade of roads by farmers: SC asks centre, UP and Haryana to find solution
Satya Prakash
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 23
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and governments of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to find a solution to the blockade of roads connecting Delhi with NCR towns by farmers agitating against the three farm laws.
The farmers have a right to protest at a designated space, but they can’t block the traffic, a Bench led by Justice SK Kaul said.
“The solution lies in the hands of the Union of India and state governments…”
“Mr Mehta what is happening? You have to find a solution, they might have the right to a place to agitate, but the roads can’t be blocked like this,” the Bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. As the Solicitor General said, “We’ll look into this,” the Bench adjourned the hearing to September 20.
The top court was hearing a petition filed by a women resident of NOIDA alleging that due to blockade of roads by the agitating farmers travelling between NOIDA and Delhi was taking two hours instead of the usual 20 minutes.
The Uttar Pradesh Government told the court that it’s making all efforts to make farmers understand that their grossly illegal act of blocking roads was causing grave inconvenience to commuters.
As the main roads connecting Delhi and Noida remain blocked since the beginning of protests against farm laws in November last, the Supreme Court had on March 29 issued notice to the Centre and the UP Government on a petition by a woman from Noida who said commuting had become a nightmare for her.
Acting on the PIL filed by Monicca Agarwaal – a single parent with some medical issues, the Bench had asked the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government to explain why the roads connecting Delhi and Noida were not kept free from blockades.
Agarwaal said though her work place was in Noida she had to travel to Delhi frequently as she was in a marketing job. Noting that it was taking two hours instead of the normal 20 minutes, she contended that it had become a nightmare to commute between Noida and Delhi.
Maintaining that “democracy and dissent go hand in hand”, the Supreme Court had on October 7, 2020 ruled that roads and public spaces can’t be blocked indefinitely and demonstrations expressing dissent have to be in designated places alone.
On February 9, the top court had dismissed a petition seeking review of the verdict, saying the right to protest can’t be anytime and anywhere.
Agarwaal said despite directions issued by the top court to keep the roads blockade-free nothing had happened.
Noting that a judicial view had already been taken and the matter reflected an administrative failure, the Bench had agreed to take up the matter after the petitioner said the court should ensure that people’s right to passage wasn’t hindered.
