There should be healthy debate and not violence: SC on Delhi riots
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday while adjourning the case related to Shaheen Bagh road blockade observed that its time all parties look at lowering of temperatures and blood pressures.
A bench comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph said, “Differences always arise between family but the debate is becoming something else. This is an unfortunate example. This is not how society works.”
“People with contrary opinions can debate it. It is not the manner of debating,” the bench said while deferring the matter after Holi vacations next month.
The bench also appealed to all political parties and all stakeholders to maintain calm in the city and said, “There should be healthy debate and not violence.”
The court also pulled up Delhi Police for not taking action against people who made inflammatory remarks before communal violence broke out in North-East part of the national capital.
Justice Joseph further said, “I have my loyalty to the constitution and I must express my anguish over the loss of life of people in Delhi and its high time that Supreme Court verdict in Prakash Singh case be implemented to make police more effective and professional.”
“Look at how police acts in the UK. If somebody makes inflammatory remarks, they swing to immediate action. They don’t wait for orders. Police should not be looking for here and there for nods,” Justice Joseph remarked.
On this, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench to refrain from making such statements as it was not the right time to raise the issue and said, “Please don’t demoralize the police.”
The bench also refused to hear other intervening applications filed in the Shaheen Bagh case and said, “We are not in favour of expanding the scope of pending case on Shaheen Bagh to take cognisance of recent violence in Delhi.”
Regarding the interlocutor report, the bench said that it will examine the same later as the environment now was not conducive and slated the hearing till March 20.