Strangulated the city, now you want to protest inside: SC on farmers' group plea

Supreme Court of India. File Pic

The Supreme Court on Friday pulled the farmers' organisation, Kisan Mahapanchayat, for seeking permission to stage a Satyagraha at Jantar Mantar against the farm laws. The top court said after blocking highways and strangulating the city, the demonstrators now want to come inside to protest.

A bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar said: "You cannot come to the court and at the same time continue with protest."

The bench queried the counsel representing the organisation if they were also protesting against the judicial system.

The bench also comprising Justice C.T. Ravikumar was hearing a plea by the Kisan Mahapanchayat seeking permission to stage the Satyagraha as a mark of protest against the three farm laws.

The plea sought directions to allow the staging of the Satyagraha as it was permitted to the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha farmers.

The Kisan Mahapanchayat's counsel submitted before the bench that his client had been asking permission from the Delhi Police.

The bench told him that after approaching the courts challenging the laws, what is the point of continuing the protests?

"If you have faith in courts, pursue that for urgent hearing instead of protesting," it added.

The bench also told the counsel that the demonstrators have right to protest, but cannot destroy property, adding that this business should stop.

The counsel for the farmers' organisation said the highways have been blocked by the police and "we have been detained", adding that his client was not part of the protest blocking the highways.

The bench emphasized that there was no purpose of protest once the organization approaches the court.

"There is no purpose to approach the court when you want to protest," it added.

The court asked the counsel to come on record stating his client is not part of the protest, to which the latter agreed.

The bench ordered to serve the copy of the petition to the office of AG and listed the matter for further hearing on October 4.

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