Haryana government has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the state to reopen the Shambhu border within a week.
Haryana’s Concerns
In its appeal, Haryana stated that the High Court’s order was issued despite the state’s warning of potential law and order issues. The government expressed concerns about the threat to life and property and urged that agitators be moved off the National Highway.
Law and Order Issues
The plea, filed through advocate Akshay Amritanshu, emphasized that maintaining law and order is a state responsibility. The state argued that it is best positioned to assess the ground realities, threat perceptions, and the likelihood of peace breaches.
Public Inconvenience
While the Haryana government acknowledged the inconvenience caused to the public by the border closure, it pointed out that the High Court order recorded the presence of a significant number of vehicles and around 500 agitators camping at the site.
Supreme Court Response
A Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, has agreed to list Haryana’s Special Leave Petition (SLP) for hearing on July 22.
Background of Shambhu Border Closure
The Shambhu border has been closed since February 13. This closure occurred when several farmer unions from Punjab marched towards Delhi, demanding, among other things, a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops. In response, the Haryana government set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi national highway to stop the farmers’ march to the capital. Since then, farmers have been camping at Shambhu.
The Haryana government’s appeal to the Supreme Court highlights the ongoing tension between state law enforcement and the rights of protesters, raising important questions about public safety and the right to protest.