The Supreme Court on Monday asked 43 farmers’ organisations and leaders listed by the Haryana government to respond to a petition filed by a Noida resident who claims her right to free movement on public roads has been choked by their protests to repeal three controversial farm laws.
A Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M.M. Sundresh issued notice to 43 individuals and entities, including farmers’ leaders such as Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav, Darshan Pal, and Gurnam Singh.
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The Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments had earlier told the court that farmers’ leaders and organisations, on protest now for nearly a year, did not respond to invites for talks by the authorities. The State governments had turned to the court for help.
The court, in the previous hearing, asked Haryana to file an application identifying farmers' entities involved in the protest to make them parties in the case. The State filed an application naming 43 entities and individuals and urged the court to make them respondents in the case.
“Let notice be issued by the court to them so they do not have an excuse not to come,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for Haryana, submitted.
Next hearing on Oct. 20
While issuing notice, the court scheduled a hearing on October 20.
The Bench, in the previous hearing, had said that farmers could not protest perpetually. They had to be open to talks.
Haryana government had detailed in its affidavit its “sincere efforts” to resolve the issue with the farmers.
The State said a meeting headed by the Chief Minister was also held. A State-level committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary was formed to find a way out of the blockades. A meeting of the committee scheduled on September 19 was not attended by the farmers' leaders. However, industrialists from Sonipat, the district near the blockade, had come to the meeting on their volition and informed the panel about the “myriad difficulties” faced by them.
Mr. Mehta said the farmers were refusing to participate in the talks before a high-level committee. He said sections of highways had become inaccessible due to the protests.
The Bench, so far, had upheld the farmers' right to protest provided they did not hinder commuters.
