Supreme Court refuses to entertain pleas on Republic Day tractor rally violence

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India SA Bobde rejected a plea to direct a fresh probe into the violence that had erupted during the farmers’ tractor rally in Delhi on Republic Day, taking note of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public statement that “the law would take its course” on the matter.

“A statement has been made by the Prime Minister that the law will take its own course. We are sure that the government is enquiring and will be taking appropriate action,” CJI Bobde said on Wednesday during a hearing on the plea. “Investigation is on and action will be taken.”

Dismissing the petitioners’ plea that the court direct the government that any such investigation must hear all sides, the CJI said, “Should we assume that the probe will be one-sided? It is obvious that they will investigate all sides.”


The bench, however, permitted the petitioner to go to the government and make a representation to this effect to the ministry or ministries concerned.

The petition had sought a probe by a commission of inquiry under a retired top court judge to examine the clashes between police and the farmers on January 26. It also sought filing of first information reports against all those who had “dishonoured” the national flag on that day.

Some other pleas had sought a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the incidents of Republic Day.

The bench rejected several other pleas drawing the court’s attention to some or the other aspect of the ongoing farmers’ protest against the three central farm laws deregulating the sale of crops. One of the pleas demanded that the court protect the right to life and property of ordinary citizens who were affected by the farmers’ protests.

The state was unable to protect these rights and these “elements” were still roaming free, said the petition. “There is a sense of insecurity among the people,” it said.

A third public interest litigation (PIL), filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma, drew the court’s attention to instances where media persons and politicians from the ruling party had dubbed the farmers “terrorists” and demanded action against them. The court rejected the PIL.

Among those who had filed petitions regarding the protests were advocate Vishal Tiwari and Shikha Dixit, who sought an NIA probe into the Republic Day violence.

Separately, a group of more than 140 lawyers wrote to the CJI complaining about the internet shutdown in and around Delhi during the protests. The government has imposed a communication blackout and also blocked off the protest sites since Republic Day.

The lawyers argued that this was an assault on the fundamental right of the farmers to access the internet and demanded an inquiry into the violence that occurred on Republic Day. They alleged police inaction, which, they said, seemed to have facilitated the violence.