'Inconvenience To People': Supreme Court Dismisses Habeas Corpus Petition On Farmer Leader's 'Illegal' Detention

A Supreme Court bench led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, on Monday (2 December) disposed of a habeas corpus petition filed in connection with the alleged illegal detention of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal by the Punjab Police. They noted that Dallewal had already been released from custody and had joined the ongoing farmers' protests.

The petition had claimed that Dallewal was forcibly removed from the protest site at the Khanauri border on 26 November, where he was planning to begin a fast-unto-death in support of farmers' demands. It was alleged that he was taken to a hospital in Ludhiana against his will, from where he was later released.

During the hearing, the bench refrained from making any comments on the legitimacy of the farmers' protests themselves. However, the court did express concerns about the impact of such protests on the public.

"In a democratic setup, you can engage in peaceful protests but do not cause inconvenience to people...the Khanauri border is a lifeline for Punjab," the bench remarked. The court emphasised that protests should not disrupt vital transportation routes that affect the daily lives of citizens.

The farmers' protests, particularly at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana, have been ongoing since February 2024. These protests are an extension of the large-scale protests that erupted in 2020 against the government's three controversial farm laws.

The laws, which aimed to relax regulations on the purchase, sale, and storage of agricultural produce, were perceived by many farmers as harmful to their interests.

Although the government repealed the three farm laws in November 2021, following intense protests, farmers continue to demand further action on several fronts. Their main concerns include the implementation of a legally guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, which they claim the government has not yet fulfilled.