NEW DELHI – Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Wednesday declined an urgent listing for a petition challenging alleged police brutality against protestors during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) march to Parliament in Delhi. The CJI reportedly told the lawyer, "Don't waste our time, and don't waste your time," and expressed disinterest in viewing social media videos of the alleged excesses.
The petition, filed in the Supreme Court, claimed that Delhi Police used excessive force against students demonstrating in Delhi. These students were advocating for reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, particularly in light of issues surrounding the NEET exam.
Demands for Inquiry and Accountability
The plea urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of what it described as an infringement of fundamental rights. It also sought an examination into whether the Delhi Police's actions violated established judicial precedents concerning protests.
- Independent Judicial Inquiry: The petition called for the formation of an independent judicial inquiry, supervised by a sitting Supreme Court Bench, to investigate the circumstances of the police action.
- Compliance Review: The inquiry would determine if authorities adhered to constitutional and legal requirements during the protest.
- FIRs Against Officials: Furthermore, the plea requested appropriate directions for registering First Information Reports (FIRs) against Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force, and other officials found responsible for any excessive force.
Differing Court Responses and Police Action
While the Supreme Court refused urgent listing, the Delhi High Court has, in contrast, allowed an urgent listing for a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging similar excessive force by Delhi Police during the CJP's protest march.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police confirmed lodging ten FIRs related to various law-and-order violations and other incidents that occurred during the protest.
CJP Denies Violence Allegations
Ashutosh Ranka, a spokesperson for the CJP, countered claims that the protestors were not peaceful. Ranka stated that the youth had been peacefully demonstrating at Jantar Mantar for 31 days, adhering to the principles of Gandhi and Ambedkar. He asserted that chaos erupted on Monday only when police "unleashed brutality and beat up students," attempting to build a narrative that painted the protestors as violent.