‘You're not the only conscience keeper of society,' says SC rejecting plea to clear farmers’ protest blockades

The Supreme Court on December 9 dismissed a plea seeking directions to Centre and others to clear blockades on highways in Punjab where farmers are staging protests.

The petition filed by a social activist from Punjab sought directions to the Centre and others to remove restrictions on farmers’ protests to ensure that national highways and railway tracks are not blocked by the agitating farmers.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and Manmohan said the matter is already pending before the court and it cannot entertain repetitive petitions on the same issue.

“We are already examining the larger issue. You are not the only conscience keeper of society. Don’t file repetitive petitions. Some are filing for publicity interest and some are filing to play to the gallery. We cannot entertain repetitive petitions on the same issue,” the bench told petitioner Gaurav Luthra, who claimed to be a social activist in Punjab, as per a report in India Today

The court also refused Luthra's request to tag the petition with the pending matter.

The petitioner had alleged that farmers’ and farmer unions have blocked the entire national and state highways in Punjab permanently and for an indefinite period. He said that the free movement on highways comes under the fundamental right of the citizen, which is being violated by the farmers by blocking them in the entire state of Punjab.

Farmers' Protest

Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

"The alleged farmers and their farmer unions have blocked the national highway at the entry point of Punjab i.e. Shambu for more than one year and recently have blocked national and state highways in the entire state of Punjab at various locations on October 24, 2024," the petitioner said, news agency PTI reported.

The farmers attempted to enter the national capital on December 6, but suspended their march after tear gas firing by police.

Protesting farmers temporarily suspended their ‘Dilli Chalo’ march on Sunday afternoon after several people were injured in a clash with security personnel.

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi insisted that there was “no need” for the farmers to take out the march. He also reiterated that the government was ‘ready to talk’ and urged five farm representatives to come for discussions.