140 lawyers have written to Chief Justice of India to take suo-motu cognizance of suspension of internet around Delhi amid the protests by farmers against contentious farm laws.
The tractor parade run amok on January 26 and many policemen were injured. Moreover, many farmers are also being claimed as missing by the unions and Punjab government has set up a helpine number to find those missing since Republic day.
The government of Haryana resorted to the suspension of internet in around 17 districts. Similarly, the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered interim internet blackout in Delhi and around protest sites. Later on the order was extended after the violent encounterrs at Singhu border on January 29 between alleged 'locals' who were later found to be backed by a fringe group named, Hindu-Sena.
The government had said, "(It is necessary to suspend internet) in the interest of maintaining public safety and averting public emergency."
The group of 140 lawyers in a letter has written that the
violence was perpetrated by local hoodlums. It has been alleged that so called
locals, around 200 of them barged into the protest site and pelted stones on
the farmers and damaged their make-shift residential tents.
A group of 140 lawyers have written to the Chief Justice of India against suspension of internet services in parts of Delhi-NCR, during the ongoing farmers protests.
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) February 3, 2021
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The letter written to the CJI has been drafted by Advocates Sitwat Nabi and Abhist Hela. It stated, "As internet services remain suspended in and around the protests venues and its adjoining areas for the sixth consecutive day, farmers are rightly convinced that their voices are being shunned down and only one-sided narrative of the government is being pushed forward, which is a clear attack on the fundamental values of the constitution."
It added, "access to internet is a fundamental right under Article-19 of the constitution, subject to some restrictions and said freedom of the press is a valuable and sacred right."
The letter further added, "Embedding more than 2,000 iron nails, multi-layer metal barricades, cement wall, and heavily, armed security officials- these cannot be considered as law and order situations. This should be rather termed as fortification! These activities are depriving the protesting farmers of their basic human rights and are in gross violation of the Right to life enshrined under Article-21 of the constitution."
Read More: SC refuses to hear pleas on Republic day unrest after tractor parade run amok