New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Wednesday cautioned law enforcement agencies against using excessive force while dealing with student protests, observing that an aggressive response by the “mighty State” could escalate tensions and trigger further violence. The observations came while the court agreed to hear a petition seeking action against the organisers of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) July 20 protest in Delhi.
Emphasising the importance of restraint in a democracy, the bench said security forces should exercise caution while handling peaceful marches. “In a democracy, during such peaceful marches, forces also should exercise restraint,” the court observed, adding that authorities must “tread very carefully” when dealing with young protesters to prevent situations from turning violent. The petition seeks action against the organisers of the July 20 protest and also requests that youngsters who allegedly used abusive or objectionable language during the demonstration be directed to perform seven days of community service.
Responding violently would only aggravate the situation. The biggest powerful source is listening—listening to what they are saying and why they are agitating, the CJI remarked. The court also stressed that young protesters require guidance and counselling instead of an aggressive response from the authorities. “These are youngsters. They need a lot of advisory consulting,” the bench observed. Warning against excessive use of force, the court said that aggression by the authorities could worsen the situation and lead to further violence.
At the same time, the Chief Justice clarified that decisions on how protests should be managed ultimately rest with law enforcement agencies, which possess the experience and expertise to deal with such situations. The petition pertains to the July 20 protest in Delhi, where students participated in a CJP-led agitation over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. The protests later culminated in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
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