Chandrashekhar Azad to SC: Home Ministry, UP govt colluded to block roads around Shaheen Bagh

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Wednesday filed an application in the Supreme Court saying the Home Ministry and the Uttar Pradesh government have deliberately blocked alternate roads far away from Shaheen Bagh leading to traffic jams for commuters on Delhi, Noida and Faridabad stretch.

Azad filed this intervention application to bring on records facts in the pending case, which sought the apex court to pass direction to clear the Shaheen Bagh protest site, as it is causing inconvenience to daily commuters.

The Supreme Court in the previous hearing questioned the indefinite road blockage, which causes inconvenience to daily commuters. The top court had said petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act are pending in the court.

Seeking to bring to court's notice some of the "collusive acts" of the administration, Azad's applications said, "The Home Ministry as well as the State of Uttar Pradesh are blocking alternate roads that are far away from Shaheen Bagh to deliberately cause traffic jams for commuters."

The application contended that Shaheen Bagh protest is considered an "iconic" peaceful protest (anti-Citizenship Amendment Act), which has been replicated in many major cities of the country.

The application contended the petition against Shaheen Bagh protests has been filed in collusion with the Centre, which controls the police in Delhi; and the interveners apprehend that facts may not be placed before the top court.

"The court may be misled into passing orders that will be used by the Central government as a pretext to commit mass genocide of innocent women and citizens of this country," said the application.

Azad along with former Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah urged the top court to implead them as a party in the proceedings of the case "in order to place all relevant facts which have a material bearing on the petition being heard by the court and will also have a bearing in the effective adjudication of the issues at hand."

They have sought to make written and oral submissions. The top court will hear the petitions on February 17.