For over 50 days now, thousands of farmers have converged around Delhi demanding the repeal of three contentious farm laws. While there have been several rounds of talks with Central Ministers, no consensus has been reached thus far and the agitators had recently announced their intention to hold a tractor rally on Republic Day. Farmer leaders had said earlier this month that that their proposed parade will be called "Kisan Parade" and it will be be held after the Republic Day parade - from different parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to the national capital.
But with the Delhi Police firmly against the idea, the Supreme Court has now gotten involved in the debate. On Monday, the apex court heard an application filed by Delhi Police seeking a direction to put an injunction on the proposed tractor rally on Republic Day. The SC said that the question of entry into the national capital was a law and order situation and as such had to be determined by the Police.
Earlier, while putting the three laws on hold, the SC had also issued a notice to the farmer unions on the basis of the Delhi Police plea. Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General KK Venugopal on Monday dubbed the rally illegal and said that it would lead to the entry of an estimated 5000 people into Delhi.
A final decision is yet to be taken. The SC has said that it will hear the matter the day after tomorrow. However, the apex court's insistence that it will not "tell you what to do" indicates that the decision of the police will be binding.
