New Delhi: Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said that the Supreme Court will only hear petitions pertaining to police action against students group protesting, when the “violence and destruction of public properties” stops.
“Let the rioting stop. Public property is being destroyed. The court can’t do anything right now. We will determine the rights but not in the atmosphere of riots. Let this stop and then we will take suo moto cognizance. If protests violence and destruction of public properties continues, we will not hear it. Come back tomorrow,” said Bobde.
The issue was taken before the bench by senior advocate Indira Jaising after violent protests erupted in Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University yesterday over newly enacted Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
“It is a very serious human rights violation all over the country,” Indira Jaising had said.
“Just because they happen to be students, it doesn’t mean they can take law and order in their hands, this has to be decided when things cool down. This is not the frame of mind when we can decide anything,” said Bobde.
However he said that the court is “not against rights and peaceful demonstration” by the protestors.