The Supreme Court on Thursday reiterated that farmergroups have the right to protest, but they cannot keep roads blocked indefinitely.The top court has sought response from Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrellabody of farmer unions, and other farmer unions on a petition filed by a womanresident of Noida seeking direction to ensure that the road between Noida toDelhi is kept clear for smooth traffic movement.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the farmers'group, submitted before a bench headed by justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that roadblockade would end, if permission is granted to continue the protest either atRamlila Maidan or Jantar Mantar.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on his part, citedRepublic Day violence and emphasized this happened despite farmer unions, hadgiven an undertaking that there will be no violence during tractor rallyscheduled on January 26. Dave claimed that January 26 violence was engineered,and added that the road management can be done better by the police.
The bench also comprising justice M.M. Sundresh told thefarmers group counsel that they may have a right to agitate in any manner butroads should not be blocked like this. "People have right to go on roads,it cannot be blocked", noted the bench.
The bench asked SKM and other farmer unions to file theirresponse in four weeks in the matter, and scheduled the matter for further hearingon December 7.
The top court was hearing a plea by a Noida-residentMonicca Agarwal complaining of delays in daily commute caused due to the roadblockade by farmer groups.
Another bench headed by justice A.M. Khanwilkar, hadquestioned the rationale behind farmer groups continuing their protest, whereinnational highways have been blocked, in the backdrop of stay on threecontentious farm laws. The bench headed by justice Khanwilkar had said it willexamine whether those protesting against farm laws have a right to do so evenafter challenging the contentious legislations in the top court.