Let everything cool down first, says SC on Shaheen Bagh

A two-judge bench comprising Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph refused to pass orders on the plea on Wednesday.

According to Bar & Bench, Justice Kaul observed, "All stakeholders should lower their temperature and blood pressure. This is not how a society should behave...Unfortunately, the debate is degenerating into something else, this is not healthy dissent."

The bench reportedly condemned dissent through violence.

Since the mid-December Jamia Millia Islamia violence, women have led a sit-in protest at Shaheen Bagh against the contentious CAA, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).


The protesters have blocked the Jasola to Noida route via Kalindi Kunj, causing major traffic woes to Delhi-Noida commuters.


The 24x7 sit-in protest has become a symbol of nationwide anger against CAA.

To recall, the Supreme Court had last week appointed senior advocates Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran as interlocutors to convince Shaheen Bagh protesters to shift their protest site.

The interlocutors submitted their report on Monday.

Justice Kaul said today, "We have seen the report of the interlocutors. We don't want to discuss it here. We want to defer it. The environment is not conducive."

Separately, the apex court also dismissed a petition filed by former Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, who assisted the interlocutors.

Habibullah had notably advised against shifting the Shaheen Bagh protesters as it would "compromise their safety" and blamed barricading by Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Police for blocked roads.

Habibullah's plea had sought an FIR and a court-monitored probe into the recent violence in Delhi.

Since Sunday, communal clashes across Northeast Delhi's Maujpur, Jaffrabad, Yamuna Vihar, Gokulpuri, Chand Bagh, etc., have claimed 20 lives.

The SC refused to take up Habibullah's plea since the Delhi High Court is looking into the matter.

The apex court, however, rapped the police for their "lack of professionalism," blaming them for "allowing instigators to get away."