The Supreme Court’s intervention to salvage the investigation in Uttar Pradesh after the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, in which the son of a Union minister is an accused, as well as an expression of support for the farming community from the Chief Justice’s Bench of India make waves first PM assures repeal of controversial agricultural laws on television on Friday.
In its order of November 17Emphasizing on the cold brutality of the crime, a division bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said farmers protesting agricultural laws were “crushed from behind” and “run away” by the same SUV. The Supreme Court said the “tragic loss of life” deserves a “fair, fair, just and thorough investigation”. The court rejectedSlow speed, methods and test results So far done by Uttar Pradesh Police.
On November 17, the Supreme Court alsoPeople sitting in five star and seven star hotels in DelhiThose who hold farmers responsible for pollution. The court said that such people do not understand the plight of the farmers or their poverty. In an earlier hearing, Justice Surya Kant identified himself and Chief Justice Ramana as “farmers”. Justice Kant told the government, “I am a farmer, the CJI is a farmer… we know.”
However, on October 1, the court was not so sensitive. A bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar had accused the farmers that “strangle the cityOn that day, the court was hearing a petition filed by farmer bodies seeking permission to hold satyagraha at the iconic Jantar Mantar in the heart of the capital.
On October 4, a day after the killing of eight people, including four farmers, in Lakhimpur Kheri, the farmers’ petition for satyagraha again came up before the same bench. This time, the bench had asked why farmers are protesting when the case against farmers’ laws is pending in the Supreme Court. Justice Khanwilkar said agricultural laws were passed by Parliament.
“The government is also bound by the laws passed by the Parliament… We are here on principle,” he said. Once you go to the court, how can you say that ‘the matter is before the court, still I will protest’, the judge had questioned. The bench had said that when incidents like Lakhimpur Kheri take place, which lead to deaths, damage to property and damage, no one takes responsibility.
That day the Bench noted the “central issue” here was whether the right to protest was an “absolute right”. The court had said it would decide whether the farmers’ bodies could hold protests over a subject – the validity of three agricultural laws – which was under consideration. The observations of this bench came despite repeated consideration by another bench of the apex court headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that farmers had every right to protest peacefully without disturbing the right of public agitation.
However, after 48 hours of hearing before a bench of Justice Khanwilkar, the Lakhimpur Kheri incident was taken up by the Chief Justice’s bench on October 6 and listed for hearing the next day.
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