Delhi Police moves SC for ban on ‘parallel parade’ by farmers on Republic Day

The Delhi Police has moved the Supreme Court seeking an injunction on the tractor rally reportedly being planned by a group of farmers' unions on January 26 to ‘disrupt’ the Republic Day parade.

In its application, the Delhi Police has stated that it has been informed through various sources that a small group of protesting individuals/organisations have planned to carry out a tractor rally to disrupt the Republic Day celebrations.

Such a rally could cause law and order problems and thus prove to be embarrassing for the nation, the application states, Bar & Bench has reported.

"Right to protest is always subject to the countervailing public order and the public interest. The right to protest can never include maligning the nation globally. It is submitted that few days back, the organisations/individuals protesting at various entry points of Delhi have conducted a tractor/trolley march," the application has pointed out.

On these grounds, the Delhi Police has prayed for an injunction restraining anyone from conducting any protest march either in the form of tractor march, trolley march, vehicle march or any other mode into the National Capital Region territory of Delhi on January 26.

The application has been filed in the plea pending before the Supreme Court seeking removal of protesting farmers from the Delhi borders.

During Monday’s hearing in the petition challenging the validity of the Centre's farm laws, Attorney General KK Venugopal expressed concern regarding the tractor rally.

However, Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for a few farmers' unions, had assured the Court that there would be no such rally.

At this point, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had said that Dave did not represent all the farmers.