Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Tuesday said that while all Indians reserve the right to peacefully protest, youth should not protest on the streets, as he spoke clearly about the demonstrations demanding a specific name for the Navi Mumbai airport.
The CJI-led Supreme Court bench also refused to entertain the plea to rename the Navi Mumbai International Airport as ‘Loknita DB Patel Navi Mumbai International Airport’; He said the issue fell within the ambit of policy making and hence the Supreme Court could not interfere.
During the hearing, responding to the allegation that criminal cases have been registered against the youth protesting over the issue, the CJI said the protesting individuals “should not threaten and create law and order problems”.
Kant said: “Everyone has the right to protest peacefully and lawfully… and it can also be done under the law. But it is not permissible to take to the streets and create problems for the common man.”
The renaming petition has been filed by Prakashjhot Samajik Sanstha, which calls for the Center to take a timely decision regarding the state government’s proposal to rename the airport.
“This would be tantamount to indulging in policy making,” said the bench comprising the ICJ and Justices Joymalia Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi.
Describe “Misquoting” from CJI
Over the weekend, CJI Kant found himself in the headlines after he referred to some people as “cockroaches” and “parasites”.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the CJI said his statements had been wrongly misrepresented and that his intention was to call out individuals who had entered professions like law and media with bogus and fictitious degrees.
“It pains me to read how a section of the media misquoted my oral remarks made during the hearing in a frivolous case yesterday,” the CJI said in a statement on Saturday, stressing that he has “great respect” for Indian youth.
During a hearing on a petition filed by advocate Sanjay Dubey seeking contempt action over alleged delay by the Delhi High Court in implementing the Supreme Court guidelines governing appointment of senior advocates, the Supreme Court bench, led by the ICC, strongly attacked the growing and unprovoked attacks on the judiciary and the legal system.
“There are young people who are like cockroaches, who are not getting any job or any place in the profession. Some of them become media persons, others become social media, RTI activists and other activists, and start attacking everyone,” the CJI observed during the hearing of the petition.
