Law student writes to CJI to take cognisance of Red Fort violence

A law student on Tuesday wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde urging him to take suo motu cognisance of the violence that took place at the Red Fort during the farmers’ protest in the national capital on Republic Day

Hundreds of farmers climbed the ramparts of Red Fort and hoisted religious flags (the Nishan Sahib of Sikhs), vandalised almost anything they could lay their hands on, fought a pitched battle with the police, throwing some of them into trenches, and tried to ram tractors into others.

Requesting a Special Investigation Committee inquiry, Mumbai University student Ashish Rai said in the letter:

“The way the flag of another community has been waved in place of the national flag of India, hurting the honour and dignity of the country, is a shameful event. And the whole country is also hurt by this incident, as the national flag has been insulted.”

Rai stated that the incident has hurt the “country’s devotional spirit” and an inquiry is essential to determine how anti-social elements managed to enter the tractor rally.

“It is, therefore, a humble request to the Supreme Court that a Special Investigation Committee be formed on this entire matter to conduct a rigorous inquiry against the anti-social elements involved in this unconstitutional activity so as to punish the accused,” Rai stated in his letter.

It will be open for the Court to take note of the letter and convert it into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) or take suo moto cognisance of the incident.