Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Wednesday urged law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint while dealing with student protests, warning that an aggressive response by the “mighty State” could escalate tensions and trigger further violence.
The observations came while a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India agreed to hear a petition seeking action against the organisers of the July 20 Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest in Delhi. The plea was tagged with other pending cases relating to the recent student demonstrations in the national capital.
Emphasising the importance of a measured approach, the court said that in a democracy, peaceful protests should not be met with excessive force.
“During such peaceful marches, forces also should exercise restraint,” the bench observed, adding that authorities must “tread very carefully” while dealing with young protesters to prevent situations from turning violent.
The petition has sought action against those who organised the protest and also requested that participants who allegedly used abusive or objectionable language during the demonstration be directed to perform seven days of community service.
The Chief Justice said that even if a few “misguided” protesters resorted to stone-pelting, the focus should be on understanding the reasons behind their anger rather than responding with force.
“Responding violently would only aggravate the situation. The most powerful source is listening to what they are saying and why they are agitating,” the CJI remarked.
The court noted that young protesters require guidance and counselling instead of confrontation, observing that authorities should adopt a balanced and sensitive approach while handling student demonstrations.
The bench also cautioned that excessive aggression by the State could worsen the situation.
“Aggression coming from the other side in the name of the mighty State may also unnecessarily aggravate the situation and precipitate, leading to further violence. That needs to be avoided,” the court said.
At the same time, the Chief Justice acknowledged that operational decisions on managing protests should ultimately remain with law enforcement agencies, given their experience in handling public order situations.
The petition stems from the July 20 protest in Delhi, where students gathered under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) to protest alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET examination. The demonstrations eventually culminated in the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan.
The petitioners have argued that those responsible for organising the protest should be held accountable, contending that failure to act against misconduct during demonstrations could set a dangerous precedent.