New Delhi, March 25: Taking exception to the support being extended by the Chief Ministers of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh — Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Mayawati — to the ongoing Jat agitation, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the two States and Rajasthan to ensure that supply of water and other essential commodities to Delhi is not affected.
Since the Court is closed for Holi vacation, a Bench of Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice Dalveer Bhandari gave this direction at a special sitting, acting on petitions filed by the Delhi Jal Board and the Indian Oil Corporation bringing to the Court’s notice the threats announced by Jats to stop movement of essential commodities to the national Capital.
The Bench in its order said: “The agitation should not interrupt the supply of water and essential commodities including milk and milk products. Essential commodities reaching Delhi either by road or railways should not be stopped. It is needless to say that the State governments shall take every necessary step in this regard.”
The Bench said these directions would not prevent the concerned States from asking Central help to implement the order.
“We are also directing the respondents (Governments of UP, Haryana and Rajasthan) that they will ensure that the oil refineries of Panipat and Mathura are not affected and the supply and transportation of petroleum products either through pipelines or road and railways is not affected,” the Bench added.
“We are constrained to pass the order having regard to the statements made by the highest functionary {Chief Minister} of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh indicating support to the agitation,” it said.
The Court directed that a copy of the order be given immediately to the Chief Secretaries of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, to the Resident Commissioners of the two States in Delhi and to the standing counsel of the two States.
“We make it clear that while citizens have right to protest, we also make it clear that resorting to such steps should not lead to disruption of supply of essential commodities in the interest of citizens,” the Bench said and issued notices to the three States seeking their response in two weeks and directed the matter to be listed thereafter.
-Agencies