The Supreme Court on Monday instructed the Centre and the neighboring state governments to find a solution to roadblocks on Delhi’s borders because of the farmers’ protest against the three farm laws passed last year.
The farmers protesting against the three laws, i.e., Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, continue to block the Singhu and Tikri borders of the National Capital.
Supreme Court: Plea of a Local Resident
Monica Agarwal, a resident of Noida, filed a petition against the problem of blocking the roads due to protests.
She alleged that it took her a long haul of two hours to travel from Delhi to Noida for her marketing job which could have taken only 20 minutes in usual circumstances.
The bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, after hearing the plea, confronted the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre.
It said the farmers have the right to protest but at the designated places. Due to the protests, the inflow and outflow of traffic cannot be disrupted.
The bench made an order that the Union of India and the concerned state governments have to coordinate to find a solution and make sure the common people won’t face any inconvenience due to the blockage of roads because of the ongoing protest.
It has also asked Tushar Mehta to work out the solution and post the matter for further hearing on September 20. The top court also directed the states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana on July 19, 2021.
The states were asked to file their response as to how the blockade of roads will be removed. The U.P. government submitted an affidavit in the court highlighting its continuous efforts to make farmers understand and thereby trying to remove the blockade.
According to the affidavit, there are about 800-1000 protestors in the area at present. Although, a crowd of nearly 15,000 protestors gathers within hours of their calls from the neighboring towns and villages.
The government of Haryana had also submitted its report. It explained to the top court that the farmers are protesting at the Singhu border and they are spread across a stretch of six kilometers on the lanes of NH-44 since November 27, 2020.
The state government also told the court that initially, it blocked all the lanes using tractors/trolleys and other vehicles.
Now at least one lane has been unlocked from both ends supporting the efforts of the district police to enable smooth movement of public vehicles.
