The Supreme Court on Monday appointed senior counsel Sanjay Hegde as an interlocutor to talk to protesters at Shaheen Bagh and arrive at any solution in the case after hearing pleas seeking clearance of the protest site. The pleas filed in the court sought to clear the Kalindi Kunj road which has been blocked due to the anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh.
The top court said Hegde can take assistance of advocate Sadhana Ramachandran and former Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah for talking to the protestors.
It adjourned the case to February 24.
Justice S.K. Kaul, who is on the Bench with Justice K.M. Joseph in the hearing, said that the court is not saying that people don't have the right to protest, but the question is if a public area can be used to protest.
“One section of the society holds one point of view, it's okay, they want to voice it in a form of like a social build-up, it's acceptable but the limited question is the place in which it can be done,” he said.
The court also pointed out that there are alternative spaces earmarked for protests such as Ramlila Maidan and Jantar Mantar. The grievance may be genuine, but roads can't be blocked over it as it will create chaos, the court said.
“When strong views emerge, you cannot say don't put forth your strong views. Those things don't trouble us. Only thing troubling is blocking of a public road,” Justice Kaul added.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and ADG K.M. Nataraj refuted claims that roads were being opened for ambulances, saying that there was complete blockage, and asserted that the only solution is the removal of the protesters.