New Delhi: The police crackdown during the CJP protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has come under fresh scrutiny after Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan described the alleged assault on protesters as “very, very distressing”.
Justice Bhuyan was speaking at the launch of former security secretary Yashovardhan Azad’s book Policing the Republic in New Delhi on Friday. He said police officers are expected to remain professional and detached while dealing with protests and stressed that maintaining law and order should not mean using excessive force or violating people’s rights.
His comments come while the Supreme Court is already looking into allegations of excessive force during the CJP protest on July 20. A panel headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy has been asked to examine the allegations, including claims of lathi charges, the use of tear gas and electronic batons, and allegations that some women protesters were targeted. Video and CCTV footage from the area will also be examined.
The July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar was followed by a confrontation between protesters and the Delhi Police. Several allegations were subsequently made about the way the demonstration was handled, while the police maintained that its personnel also faced violence and injuries during the unrest.
Justice Bhuyan used the occasion to make a broader point about policing in a democracy. He said people must be able to trust the police and that this trust depends on professionalism, impartiality, integrity and respect for the Constitution.
He also referred to the Supreme Court’s earlier rulings on custodial violence and said torture or cruel treatment cannot be justified simply because someone is in police custody. According to him, even government officials must remain within the law because their actions can affect how ordinary people view the rule of law.
The controversy has also spilled into the political and legal arena. The CJP recently called off its proposed September 5 march in Delhi after the Centre and several states approached the Supreme Court seeking the withdrawal of cases registered against protesters. The Centre has indicated that cases could be withdrawn, although people accused of serious offences may not be covered.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police has rejected allegations of political interference in a separate case involving an alleged assault on the father of a CJP supporter at Jantar Mantar. Police said the injury was “simple” and that two people had been detained and questioned.
With the Supreme Court appointed panel still examining what happened on July 20, the focus is now firmly on whether the police response remained within the limits of lawful crowd control and whether protesters rights were adequately protected.
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