Delhi Metro station closures and reported changes to train services ahead of a planned protest in central Delhi have triggered concern from the Supreme Court, while organisers have said they will proceed with demonstrations from October 10.
According to Live Hindustan – NCR, the Central government decided to close 57 Metro stations in Delhi in view of a protest at Jantar Mantar. The report also said that trains arriving at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations had been cancelled. The measures were presented as steps taken ahead of the proposed demonstration by the Cockroach Janata Party.
The Supreme Court reportedly questioned the extent of the restrictions during proceedings on Friday. The court said, according to the report, that the government could not use a “hammer to kill a fly” and criticised what it described as a complete ban on public transport services. The observations concerned the closure of Metro stations and the reported cancellation of train services connected to the two major railway stations.
Saurav Das, co-convener of the party, reacted to the court’s observations while speaking to the media. He questioned whether Union Home Minister Amit Shah should resign, arguing that ministers would have stepped down before 2014 when the Supreme Court made strong observations about a minister’s work.
Das said the closure of 57 Metro stations and the disruption of train services had brought Delhi’s transport system to a halt. He also referred to reports that airline services could face restrictions, although the supplied report did not provide confirmation of any such decision. He questioned whether the restrictions infringed on young people’s rights and said the Supreme Court had raised valid concerns.
The proposed protest is linked to a demand for the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar. Das said the organisers would begin their demonstration on October 10 and remain on the roads until Kumar resigned and their demands were addressed. He also appealed to the Supreme Court to uphold the right to peaceful protest, describing it as a fundamental right.
Das said the organisers considered themselves peaceful protesters and followed Mahatma Gandhi’s path. At the same time, he said they would remain at the protest site regardless of the force used against them and would continue until the government invited them for talks and their demands were fulfilled.
The reported restrictions place Delhi’s Metro and railway networks at the centre of a dispute over how authorities manage public transport during planned demonstrations. The next immediate developments are the implementation of the reported station and rail restrictions and the protest scheduled for October 10.
