In a latest development to the ongoing countrywide protests against the contentious CAA and NRC, the Supreme Court has appointed a two member panel to go and strike an attempt at mediation with the protestors of Shaheen Bagh. The two-member panel constructed by the Supreme Court came to Shaheen Bagh on Wednesday to persuade anti-CAA protestors to bring an end to their protests and end the blockade of the road which has been going on for the last sixty days.
Two advocates, Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran were appointed as interpolators by the apex court on Monday after the SC acknowledged that people within a democracy had the right to protest.
Advocate Sanjay Hegde said, “ We have come here according to the order of the Supreme Court. We hope to speak to everyone. We hope to resolve the matter with everybody’s cooperation.”
Reading from the Supreme Court’s order, Ramachandran told the protestors, “The Supreme Court order acknowledges your(people’s)right to protest, however, this agitation is leading to a blockade. It is causing disruption in people’s daily live and s much as it is your right to protest, it is also their right to conduct their life without interruption. As a country, we must respect each other’s rights We would solve this issue together and should become a global example.”
The protesters contested the claim that the sit-in protest was causing any inconvenience to a large number of commuters. They argue that the commuters who travel to Noida regularly take the parallel highway. When the parallel road to the highway is open as well as all lanes of Shaheen Bagh except this road, why does the SC build pressure on the Shaheen Bagh protestors to conduct their protest elsewhere? It will remain to be seen how far this mediation team is able to discuss the issue with the anti-CAA protestors at Shaheen Bagh and whether there is finally some resolution to the two month old deadlock between the citizens and the government as far as the protests are concerned.
