The Supreme Court (SC) has finally pulled up the Uttar Pradesh Government, which as per the SC directions was acting as “complainant” and “adjudicator” all by itself in the proceedings against the protesters that began post the CAA protests that rocked the country. After the protests, the UP Chief Minister had stated that the damages caused by the protestors will be ‘avenged’ and at the same time, the costs will be recovered from them.
With that, began the process of sending the recovery notices to the people—most of which belonged to the minority community and were labourers, belonging to the lower strata of the society. The UP Government, instead of fighting it out in the Court, had started to play both the roles by itself, which not only is unbecoming of a country that functions as per the rule of law but it akin to anarchy.
The SC in its direction has issued a stern warning, asking the UP Government to withdraw all such recovery notices sent to the alleged protestors who were up in arms against the Government on the CAA move. The directions have, in a way, reinvigorated a sense of the supremacy of the rule of law and the judicial institutions such as the Supreme Court. The plight of people who were served with recovery notices was pathetic keeping in view their financial condition and for them, the SC has come as a saviour.
At the same time, there is a need to understand that the citizens—well within the law—have a right to express dissent and that is the right that has been enshrined by the country’s constitution and that’s something that nobody can deny.
The stern directions by the SC have reinforced the fact that nobody, be it a Chief Minister or anyone else, is above the law and that they will have to face the music in case of any violations. No matter the role of the judiciary has remained dormant in several cases, but the particular instance in focus, has strengthened the faith of a common man whose rights are being trampled upon day in and day out.