The top court of the country has registered a suo motu case to intervene in the alleged attacks on the protesting farmers at the Delhi borders by the police and paramilitary forces, reported Bar and Bench.
This comes in response to a letter by students of Centre for Human Rights and Duties, Punjab University, where they have sought an inquiry into the use of water cannons, tear gas shells and lathis on the farmers by the Haryana Police and action against some media channels that are broadcasting polarising content. The letter also prays for directions to be issued to the Haryana and Delhi Police to withdraw all cases against farmers, as they were registered under political motives.
The letter by the students have highlighted that biased media houses are accusing farmers to be separatists instead of understanding the plight of the farmers who have been agitating against the three farm laws enforced by the Central Government for the past few months.
The letter said that the agricultural sector was compelled to march to Delhi, commonly known as ‘Delhi Chalo”, after two months of peaceful and non-violent protests in their respective States that did not yield any constructive results. The letter reads:
“Instead of addressing this gruesome situation, the government and unconscientious overly- biased media outlets are trying to polarize the whole peaceful movement by associating it with separatism. Even after suffering brutal blows and carrying the inflicted injuries from the paramilitary forces, the farmers of India are offering and reciprocating with never ending langar or communal free kitchen and meals.”
In an order dated December 17, 2020, the Supreme Court had said that it had no intentions of interfering in the protests led by the farmers. The Bench headed by the Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices A.S Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian observed,
“This Court will not interfere with the protest in question. Indeed, the right to protest is part of a fundamental right and can as a matter of fact, be exercised subject to public order. There can certainly be no impediment in the exercise of such rights as long as it is non-violent and does not result in damage to the life and properties of other citizens and is in accordance with law.” The challenge to the constitutional validity of the three Farm Acts of 2020 is also pending before the Supreme Court.
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