Supreme Court to Take Up Plea on Reopening Shambhu Border Sealed by Protesting Farmers: Here's What to Know
The Supreme Court of India is going to take up a crucial petition today over the continued blockade of the Shambhu border by protesting farmers. The petition, scheduled to be heard by Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuiyan, seeks reopening of highways sealed for several days. The petitioners urge the court to direct the Punjab and Haryana government and the Union government to take immediate action to take away the protesting farmers from the highway.
Farmers were blocking the Shambhu border as part of protests that began in response to the demands for legalisation of the Minimum Support Price, or MSP, for crops. These protests have also been associated with the broader struggle for agricultural reform, following the historic anti-farm law protests in 2020. The petition argues that blocking highways is a violation of people's fundamental rights, disrupting daily life, and hindering economic activities. The petition further argues that such actions are covered by the National Highway Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, thus demanding legal action against the obstructionists of highways.
The Shambhu border has been a point of tension, particularly for residents of Haryana, as frequent closures of this key border have caused significant inconvenience. The farmers’ protests at Shambhu are not new; earlier this year, Haryana police used tear gas and water cannons to halt a farmer march toward Delhi. The farmers have promised to reassess their strategy and announce their next steps after taking stock of the situation.
Earlier, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had asked the state governments to take down the barricades on the border. The matter remains pending and the Supreme Court will hear the case now. Union minister and former Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar had earlier spoken against the border closures saying it is a "big problem". He had termed the protesting farmers as not being farmers but people with other agendas.
