The Supreme Court made a significant remark on the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the reopening of the Shambhu border. The court questioned how the state government could obstruct highway traffic.
The Supreme Court probed the Haryana government's logic behind stopping the flow of highway traffic, underscoring the necessity to manage rather than hinder movement. The court recommended that the borders remain open but under control, questioning why the state government would challenge the High Court's order to open the border.
Justice Kant prompted the Haryana government to submit an affidavit on the matter. The Supreme Court noted that farmers are also citizens of the country and deserve access to food and better medical facilities. "They will come, raise slogans, and go back," they said.
Indeed, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered the opening of the pathway. The Supreme Court is set to hear the case next Friday.
What's the issue at hand?
A bench comprising Justices Suryakant and Ujjwal Bhuyan addressed the Haryana government's petition challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order to reopen the Shambhu border during the hearing.
In fact, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered a judicial inquiry into the death of a 22-year-old young man during the farmers' protest. The Haryana government opposed this order in the Supreme Court.
What did the Punjab and Haryana High Court say?
The High Court stated that since conditions at Shambhu are peaceful, preventing farmers from moving forward is pointless. They seek the central government's attention and should be allowed to proceed. The judges said that protesting is a democratic right and farmers cannot be denied entry into Haryana.
The High Court also instructed the governments of Punjab and Haryana to maintain law and order during the reinstatement of the highway.
The Shambhu Border has been closed for five months
Farmers announced their march to Delhi five months ago, leading to the closure of the Shambhu border. The Haryana police have set up seven-tier barricading at the border separating Punjab and Haryana.
Business owners at Shambhu border approached the High Court to request the reopening of the border in light of the farmers' protest. Approximately 400 farmers from various parts of Punjab are still encamped at the Shambhu border, although most have returned to their fields after the paddy sowing season.
The farmers' unions have yet to decide when to resume their march. A meeting of the farmer unions was expected this week at the Shambhu border.
The farmers' demands
The farmers' protest at Shambhu border is being led by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the United Farmers' Front (apolitical). The protests initially shut down the Shambhu railway station, demanding the release of three demonstrators, but the area was cleared after a month. The unions' demands include a guaranteed minimum support price for two dozen crops, a monthly pension for elderly farmers and laborers, and loan waivers.
