Farmers Protest: 'Don't File PILs For Publicity,' SC Tells Petitioner Seeking Removal Of Barricading On Borders

The Supreme Court On Monday allowed withdrawal of petition filed by Agnostos Theos, MD of Sikh Chamber of Commerce on Kisan Andolan seeking remove all barricading on borders and stopping violence against protesting farmers.

A bench led by Justice Surya Kant said that such cases should not be filed for publicity purposes.

The PIL sought unblocking of social media accounts and FIRs against government officials indulging in “illegal acts” against farmers. It further sought directions to the Centre to consider reasonable demands of protesting farmers.

“Do not file such petitions for publicity only, based on newspaper reports. The Punjab & Haryana High Court is also seized of it and has given directions. Be careful…do your own research also, these are complex issues,” the bench remarked.

Bench eventually allowed the petitioner to withdraw the plea with liberty to seek remedies as per law.

The petitioner had prayed for directions to the Centre and State governments of Haryana, Punjab, NCT of Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh to consider the reasonable demands of protesting farmers.

The petition further asked the court to pass directions to the National Human Rights Commission to enquire and submit a report on alleged human rights violations by the Police against the protesting farmers.

The farmers started the Delhi Chalo March in February, seeking law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, among other things. Theos stated in his petition that what the farmers are demanding has been recommended by the National Commission on Farmers (NCF), constituted under the chairmanship of Professor M.S. Swaminathan.

He further highlighted the incident of the death of a young farmer, who reportedly died on February 21, after the Haryana Police allegedly fired at him on the Khanauri border.

The deadlock between farmers and the Centre over their various demands remains unsolved as the farmers rejected the February 18 offer by the Centre.

The ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), was started to pressure the government into fulfilling their demands primarily seeking law for MSP and loan waiver for famers.