The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that police should exercise restraint while handling protests, saying young demonstrators require counseling and reassurance rather than an aggressive response from the State. The remarks came while the court agreed to hear a plea seeking action against the organisers of the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march over allegations of inciting violence.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana tagged the fresh petition with a similar matter already pending before the court.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Surya Kant stressed that the priority should be to calm and guide young protesters instead of escalating the situation. "They need advice and counseling. Any aggressive approach from the side of the mighty State may socially aggravate the situation and precipitate further violence. That needs to be avoided," the Chief Justice observed.
The Chief Justice further said that while law enforcement must maintain order, peaceful protests should be allowed and police should act with restraint even if isolated incidents of violence occur. "Peaceful demonstration should be facilitated and police must exercise restraint if violence breaks out."
The bench also observed that engaging with young protesters and listening to their concerns is often the most effective way to prevent tensions from escalating.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Rizwan Ahmed argued that the organisers of the protest must be held accountable for the violence that allegedly followed.
"Fifteen days have passed... What about the accountability of the organisers? They are going from channel to channel giving provocative statements and refusing to douse the fire," Ahmed submitted before the court.
He further argued that governments should not "bend backwards" in dealing with protests, warning that adopting a soft approach in the national capital could set a precedent for similar demonstrations elsewhere.
The petition, filed by retired Air Force officer Maneesh Kumar Solanki, seeks directions against the organisers of the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' protest. It also urges the court to identify individuals who allegedly used derogatory language against police and security personnel during the demonstration and direct them to perform community service. The Supreme Court has now tagged the petition with a similar pending matter and will hear both pleas together.
