New Delhi: The Supreme Court asked Tuesday Delhi BJP leader Nand Kishore Garg to approach its mentioning officer for urgent listing of his plea seeking removal of hundreds of anti-citizenship law (CAA) protestors occupying a stretch of road in Shaheen Bagh area of the national capital.
A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde was urged by lawyer Shashank Deo Sudhi, appearing for Garg, that the plea be listed for an urgent hearing considering the difficulty faced by residents due to the nearly-two-month-long protest on a road connecting Delhi and Noida. “You go to the mentioning officer,” said the bench which also comprised Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant.
Later during the day, the lawyer mentioned the matter before the mentioning officer who assured urgent listing of the PIL, provided defects are cured.
The plea also said that various other arterial roads of Delhi have been facing traffic congestion due the protest at Shaheen Bagh.
Restrictions have been imposed on the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch and Okhla underpass since December 15, when hundreds of women sat on a protest against the amended law.
Saying that the law enforcement machinery has been ‘held hostage to the whims and fancies of the protesters’, the plea has sought laying down of guidelines for protests leading to obstruction of public place.
“It is disappointing that the state machinery is muted and silent spectator at hooliganism and vandalism of the protesters who are threatening the existential efficacy of the democracy and the rule of law and had already taken the law and order situation in their own hand,” the plea said.
It said the Shaheen Bagh protest is ‘undoubtedly within the constitutional parameter’ but it has lost its legality as constitutional protection were being ‘blatantly and brazenly flouted and violated’.
“The State has a duty to protect the fundamental rights of its citizens, who have been facing trouble due to the road blockade. Hence, it is urgently required that the public places must not be allowed to be abused and misused for ulterior and mala fide purposes such as staging protest against the constitution amendment in the heart of the capital city and thereby causing incalculable hardships and difficulties to the common people,” the plea pointed out.
Meanwhile, the apex court has already listed for hearing February 7 a similar plea filed by lawyer and activist Amit Sahni.
Sahni has filed a special leave petition in the apex court against the Delhi High Court’s order directing the local authority to deal with the situation keeping in mind the law and order.
PTI