SC to hear plea on violence against students on Dec 17

We can't be bullied and held to ransom, SC tells laywers

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to take up on Tuesday a plea alleging "violence" and “police brutalities” against students in Jamia Milia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University.

The court, however, called for immediate stopping of rioting and destruction of public properties including the burning of buses, reported from Delhi's areas adjoining Jamia Milia Islamia University on Sunday evening.

"If protest, violence and destruction of public properties go on, we will not hear," a bench presided over by Chief Justice S A Bobde said.

"We want rioting to stop. We are not saying students are responsible or the police are innocent. We know what are their rights. What is this? Public properties are being destroyed in the name of protest," the bench further said.

The bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, said, "We will decide it in a cool frame of mind."

A group of lawyers led by senior advocates Indira Jaising and Colin Gonsalves mentioned the matter, asking the court to urgently take up the issue of alleged police excesses on the students across the country for their protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.

"First, we want to be assured that there would be peace. If you want to take to the streets, don't come to us. Students can't say they have a right to breach the law and order," the CJI told Jaising and Gonsalves and others.

As lawyers raised their voices on the issue of alleged police excesses against the students, the CJI said, "We can't be held to ransom. We are not going to be bullied like this. I don't think the court can do much."

The court, however, permitted the counsel to circulate their petition and posted the matter for consideration on Tuesday.

In her plea, Jaising said that it is a matter of “very very serious human rights violations”. Students are running helter-skelters and they were not being provided adequate medical aids.

"We are certain everyone should get medical aid," the bench said, as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta maintained all those injured in the protest were being given treatment.

Gonsalves wanted a delegation of retired judges to visit the campus of AMU to calm the frayed tempers.