‘Police to decide’: Supreme Court refuses to pass orders on Centre’s plea against proposed Republic Day tractor parade

The Supreme Court on Monday said that the question of entry into Delhi is a law and order situation that is to be determined by the Police. It will hear the matter again on Wednesday. Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General KK Venugopal said that the proposed tractor rally by farmers will be illegal and there will likely be an entry of 5000 people into Delhi.

To this, the bench said that the intervention of the court had been strongly misunderstood. “Who will come in the city and who will be allowed will not be seen by us,” the apex court said. In its pleas before the Supreme Court, the Centre through Delhi Police has sought injunction on the proposed tractor rally at Republic Day on January 26.

The farmer unions have announced that they will carry out a tractor parade on the Outer Ring Road in Delhi on Republic Day. They have, however, announced that the parade will be “very peaceful”.

“There will be no disruption of the Republic Day parade. The farmers will put up the national flag on their tractors,” Yogendra Yadav said while addressing the media on Sunday.

In its application before the top court, the Centre has also said that the Republic day function each year has its own constitutional as well as historical significance.

The plea that the Republic Day ceremony is not an isolated standalone ceremony rather a grand rehearsal takes place on January 23. “Any disruption or obstruction in the said functions would not only be against the law and order, public order, public interest but would also be a huge embarrassment for the nation,” it said.