Petition Filed in Supreme Court to Clear Blockage of Highways in Punjab Amid Farmers’ Protests

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 9th Dec. A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking immediate directions to the Centre and other authorities to clear the blockage of national and state highways in Punjab, where farmers have been staging protests.

Farmers, under the banners of Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces. The petition, filed by a social activist from Punjab, requests that the Centre remove restrictions on the protests and ensure that national highways and railway tracks are not blocked.

The plea claims that farmers and their unions have indefinitely blocked all national and state highways across Punjab, alleging that the blockage poses a threat to national security, particularly as the Army’s movement towards northern borders passes through the state.

It further points out that the disruption is causing significant hardship for the residents of Punjab and neighboring states, as ambulances and other vehicles are unable to reach hospitals in time for emergencies.

The petition also emphasizes that the right to free movement on highways is a fundamental right of citizens, which is being violated by the ongoing protests. It also raises concerns about the potential destabilization of Punjab by external forces using the protests to undermine the region’s security, citing the state’s history of facing external threats.

The Supreme Court bench, led by Justice Surya Kant, is scheduled to hear the petition on December 9.