Supreme Court Orders Partial Reopening of Shambhu Border, Directs Punjab and Haryana to Facilitate Dialogue with Protesting Farmers

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the authorities to partially reopen the Shambhu border, where farmers have been staging protests since February 13. The apex court’s directive came with a clear mandate for the governments of Punjab and Haryana to convene a meeting within one week, involving the chiefs of both states and the Superintendents of Police (SPs) from the adjoining districts of Patiala and Ambala, to ensure the highway is reopened.

The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, underscored that the national highway cannot be treated as a “parking space” and urged the Punjab government to persuade the protesting farmers to remove their tractors from the road. The court emphasized the need for the partial reopening of the road at Shambhu to facilitate the movement of essential services, ambulances, senior citizens, women, girl students, and local commuters.

In its observations, the bench commended the governments of Punjab and Haryana for their decision to nominate apolitical figures for the constitution of a committee tasked with engaging in dialogue with the protesting farmers. “We will pass a brief order on the terms of the panel to be constituted for talking to protesting farmers at the Shambhu border,” the bench announced, signaling the court’s intent to facilitate a constructive resolution to the ongoing standoff.

The Supreme Court’s directive comes in the wake of a long-standing dispute, with the Haryana government challenging an earlier order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The High Court had mandated the removal of barricades at the Shambhu border within a week, a move that the Haryana government contested. The apex court’s intervention highlights the delicate balance between upholding public order and addressing the legitimate concerns of the protesting farmers.

The issue of trust between the farmers and the government has been a recurring theme in the court’s deliberations. In June, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Surya Kant, observed that there was a significant “trust deficit” between the two parties. The bench noted the necessity of appointing a “neutral umpire” to bridge this gap and inspire confidence in the dialogue process. “You have to take some steps to reach out to farmers. Why would they otherwise want to come to Delhi? You are sending ministers from here and despite their best intentions, there is a trust deficit,” the bench remarked during the June hearing.

The court’s decision to involve neutral personalities in the dialogue process reflects its understanding of the complexities involved in the ongoing farmer protests. The directive to partially reopen the Shambhu border is seen as a critical step towards restoring normalcy in the region while ensuring that the farmers’ grievances are addressed through meaningful engagement.

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