Shaheen Bagh protests: Supreme Court asks Interlocutors Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran to talk to protesters

The Supreme Court today asked Senior Counsel Sanjay Hegde and Advocate Sadhana Ramachandran to act as interlocutors and ask the protesters at Shaheen Bagh to carry out their demonstrations at an alternative site..The Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph passed the order today in the petitions seeking removal of protesters from Delhi's Shaheen Bagh and the clearance of Kalindi Kunj road, where anti-CAA protests have been going on for nearly two months.Liberty has been granted to both lawyers to pick a third person who can also act as an interlocutor in the instant matter..When the Court took up matter today, it clarified that the limited question before it was one concerning the place at which an indefinite protest of this nature can be held..Having spotted Hegde in the Courtroom, the Bench sought to speak to him on the matter. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta pointed out that Hegde has a certain specific point of view on the issue of CAA, the legislation against which the protest at Shaheen Bagh is being held. The Court, however, stated that it only wants to see if Hegde can act as an interlocutor..The Court will hear the matter next on Monday, February 24, by which time the interlocutors will submit a report to the Court on the outcome of the talks. The Court has also suggested the Delhi Police to consider providing an alternative site to the protesters so as to not cause inconvenience..At the outset, the Court today specified that the limited question that the Court was concerned with was the if a public space can be used for staging protests. Justice Kaul pointed out that the question is not whether or not people have the right tootest but whether such protests can be held in public spaces..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 doneJustice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.Counsel for the intervenors in the case told the Court that the authorities are responsible for blocking other roads between Delhi and Noida which adds to the traffic congestion. The Bench, however, reiterated that the right to protest of the protesters qas not under question, but the scope of the question before the Court is very narrow..Shaheen Bagh: Bhim Army Chief tells SC that Delhi and UP authorities are deliberately blocking other connecting roads.You (protesters) have made your point of view, we are not saying stop making your point of view but the limited scope is about sitting in protest on a public road... 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 roadJustice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.While the Court proceeded to express its inclination to engage Hegde as an interlocutor, it also suggested that an alternate site for the protests should be identified. It went to point out the locations in Delhi that are earmarked for protests such as Ramlila Maidan, Jantar Mantar, among others..In lighter vein, Mehta said that it is unfortunate that there exist "professional protesters" and dedicated protest sites had to be earmarked to which the Bench said that protests are not only well within the rights of the citizenry, they are also spaces for opinion building..The Court has asked the interlocutors, thus, to speak to the protesters and make an attempt to have the demonstration shifted to a different location and submit a report of the outcome of this dialogue. In the meantime, the Delhi Police is asked to suggest alternate protest site. The Court will hear the matter on February 24..On the last date of hearing, the Bench suggested that there needs to be an identified area for carrying out protests of this nature. It also questioned whether a public road can be blocked in this manner.."There should be an area identified for protest", Supreme Court issues notice in plea for clearance of Shaheen Bagh protest.Two petitions have been filed for the clearance of Kalindi Kunj Road, which is in proximity to the site of the protests. The first petition has been filed by lawyer and activist, Amit Sahni..Sahni has prayed for certain specific directions for the removal of the blockage at the protest site. Sahni also seeks for the situation to be monitored or supervised by a retired judge of the Supreme Court or a retired judge of the Delhi High Court in order "to circumvent any violence"..The second petition has been filed by BJP leader Nand Kishore Garg. He has sought the removal of protesters from the site on Kalindi Kunj Road..[Read Order]