The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking
directions to the Centre and other authorities to immediately clear blockades
on national and state highways in Punjab where farmers are staging protests.
A bench of justices Surya Kant and Manmohan said the matter is
already pending before the court and it cannot entertain repetitive petitions
on the same issue.
"We are already examining the larger issue. You are not the
only conscience keeper of society. Don't file repetitive petitions. Some are
filing for publicity interest and some are filing to play to the gallery. We
cannot entertain repetitive petitions on the same issue," the bench told
petitioner Gaurav Luthra, who claimed to be a social activist in Punjab.
The court also
refused Luthra's request to tag the petition with the pending matter.
Farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha
(non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and
Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their
march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
The plea has alleged that farmers' and their unions have blocked
the entire national and state highways in Punjab for an indefinite period.
It sought directions to ensure that national highways and railway tracks
are not blocked by the agitating farmers.