As reported on 23rd February, 2020, the Supreme Court interlocutor Wajahat Habibulah has filed an affidavit and has further contended that the protest was peaceful. The former Chief Information Officer submitted that the police have blocked around five points around Shaheen Bagh which has been causing the problem and told that if the police blockades are removed then, traffic will become normal.
The Supreme Court had appointed the interlocutor to initiate the talks with the protesters at Shaheen Bagh.
He further recommended that the government should speak to the protesters regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Some of the key points from his submission from today include -
- The protest is peaceful.
- Police have blocked five points around Shaheen Bagh. If these blockades are removed then traffic will become normal.
- Police have unnecessarily blocked the roads causing problem to the people.
- School vans and ambulances are allowed to pass through the roads after checking by police.
- Government should speak to the protesters regarding CAA, NPR and NRC.
The Apex Court appointed panel was made in order to reach out to the protesters at the South Delhi site on the 19th of February, 2020 to hold talks with them. The panel apart from Habibullah includes advocates Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran. The objective of the appointment was to persuade the protesters to shift their agitation to another venue.
The hearing has been kept for tomorrow that is the 24th of February, 2020.
Author - Dyuti Pandya
