Ramdev Eviction SC takes suo moto cognizance and asks for explanation from Government

The Supreme Court today took suo motu cognizance of forceful eviction of yoga Guru Baba Ramdev and his followers from the Ramlila grounds and has sought the Centre’s response on the incident within two weeks..The Supreme Court today took suo motu cognizance of forceful eviction of yoga Guru Baba Ramdev (pictured) and his followers from the Ramlila grounds and has sought the Centre’s response on the incident within two weeks..A vacation bench of justices B S Chauhan and Swatenter Kumar issued notices to the Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary of Delhi, Delhi administration, and Delhi Police Commissioner asking them to respond as to what were the circumstances under which the people had to be dispersed in the midnight by the use of force. The matter has now been posted for hearing in the second week of July..Baba Ramdev had gone on hunger strike on June 4, after the talks between the Government and Baba Ramdev failed on the issues of corruption and black money..Police had cracked down on Baba Ramdev and thousands of his supporters at Ramlila Maidan on Saturday night forcibly ending their hunger strike. Police resorted to lathi charge and fired tear gas shells, creating commotion and chaos..The police after cracking down on Baba Ramdev’s agitation on Sunday banned him from entering Delhi for the next 15 days. The police justified its action saying the organisers did not restrict themselves to a yoga camp as originally permitted but resorted to a political agitation and made provocative speeches, according to media..Anna Hazare who had earlier gone on indefinite hunger strike to highlight the Government’s reluctance against passing the Lokpal Bill has also pledged to support Baba Ramdev in his fight against corruption..A similar petition was filed by Advocate Ajay Aggarwal on the issue. In the petition, the advocate had alleged that the forceful eviction of Ramdev and the use of force against his followers was against the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 14,19 and 21 of the Constitution..However, the Supreme Court declined to entertain the petition filed by advocate Ajay Aggarwal on the issue..According to Mint, the bench expressed its displeasure that before the matter came up for hearing before it, the entire contents of the petition were leaked to the media..TOI reports, encouraged by the Supreme Court’s suo motu notice against the government on Ramdev’s forcible eviction, a section of the civil society has now approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Women (NCW) to complain against the police highhandedness.