Don't detain peaceful protesters, says SC; hundreds still taken away on Day 2
The Indian Supreme Court has issued notices to top officials regarding a contempt petition over mass detentions and service shutdowns during protests in Delhi. Despite court orders to maintain normal city operations, hundreds of protesters, including students and activists, continue to be detained.
Why it matters
The situation highlights a significant tension between civil liberties, the right to protest, and state security measures in a major democratic capital.
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Sunday sought responses of Union home secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi police commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi metro rail chief D Thara to a contempt petition for prima facie violating the court's Oct 9 order against complete shutdown of metro and train services in Delhi on Saturday to thwart CJP's protest seeking CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. The court also said lawyers, journalists, and other professionals should not be hindered in performing their duties "in any manner whatsoever".On the ground, nearly 700 people were detained (police claimed 400), many far away from protest zones, while barricading and traffic curbs remained on the roads much like Saturday. Protesters changed strategy, staging flash protests in small numbers at short notice. Most of the action was in and around CP as small groups of protesters kept trickling in.
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