Delhi HC adjourns hearing on PIL seeking to remove people 'squatting under garb of farmers' agitation'

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday adjourned the matter to March 26 on a plea seeking to remove people "squatting under the garb of farmers' agitation" in the national capital and clear all the roads and public places.

A bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh asked counsel for Respondents to clarify if a similar issue is pending before Supreme Court and slated the matter for March 26, 2021.

The petition was filed by Dhananjai Jain, a Delhi resident through advocate Bhoop Singh, who also urged the court to issue directions to the central government to remove Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava from his post and punish all the police officers "who failed in discharging their duty relating to Red Fort incident on Republic Day".

The petition has also sought to put adequate para-military forces to protect important monuments and to ensure the safety of life and property of citizens of Delhi and restore a feeling of confidence and security amongst them.

Jain stated that he is living in Delhi as a social conscious oriented person and was aghast by the unprecedented violent developments and unbecoming incidents, which have taken place in various parts of Delhi on January 26.

"That grave and emergent situation arose in the capital of Delhi on January 26, 2021, when the Republic Day celebrations were underway. The farmer agitation, which was going on for last so many days, took a very aggravated and violent turn and the farmers reached the interiors of Delhi armed with weapons, hockey sticks, swords and other assault weapons disturbing the peace and law and order and tranquillity in the capital of Delhi city apart from demeng the Republic Day festivity. Protestors and farmers put the entire capital to ransom and the whole life of the capital was brought to stand still. It raised serious alarm and anxiety amongst the citizens and in particular those living in Delhi," read the petition.

( With inputs from ANI )