Snehal Upadhyay-
Published on: August 24, 2021, at 09:25 IST
The Supreme Court on Monday expressed that farmers do have their right to protest but their agitation must not obstruct traffic or public movement.
A Constitutional Bench headed by Justice S.K. Kaul stated the solution to break the farmer-government deadlock over the three agricultural laws brought up by the government.
“The solution lies in the hands of the Union and States. If the protests are on, the traffic should not be stopped in any manner, so that too and fro for people is not disturbed,” the Court observed.
The farmers are protesting on the outskirts of the Capital for over a year now. The Court has directed the Central Government, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh governments to access the situation of the ground where the farmers were protesting.
Earlier the Bench headed by Justice Hrishikesh Roy was dealing with a petition which was filed by Monica Agarwal who was a Noida resident. While expressing her grievances in the petition, she mentioned that the road commuting between Noida and Delhi has become a nightmare because of the roadblocks undertaken as a result of the farmers’ protest.
Further, the Court has directed the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who was representing the Centre to ask his client to intervene.
In a recent affidavit, the Uttar Pradesh government stated that they have talked to the farmers about this issue of the inconvenience being caused to commuters. Blocking free public movement was illegal.
The Court will further consider the matter on September 20.