YPS blockade: State can’t let protesters use religion as shield, says HC

Coming down heavily on the Punjab and Chandigarh Police, the Punjab and Haryana high court has said “misuse of religious sentiments” by protesters, sitting at YPS Chowk on the Chandigarh-Mohali border since January 2023, cannot be the reason for the authorities not to act against them.
“ ..Only on account of the fact that some of the protesters have been hiding behind a shield of religious legitimacy by placing the Guru Granth Sahib would not as such give the State reason not to act against the persons concerned, who are misusing the religious sentiments,” the bench of acting chief justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Lapita Banerji observed, giving Punjab Police time till April 18 to clear the roads of protesters.
“It is apparent from the photographs that have been placed on record that there is no large gathering. In spite of the fact that it is well known that all agitators from the rural background are busy in harvesting and it is most opportune time to remove the blockage of the road, Punjab and Chandigarh are dragging their feet for reasons best known to them,” the bench further recorded, observing that it hoped both UT and Punjab will “wake up from their slumber”.
The court was hearing a plea from NGO ArriveSAFE, seeking removal of protesters from YPS Chowk, a major traffic lifeline. Since January 7, 2023, the rotary, near the Chandigarh-Mohali border, has been blocked by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha to demand release of Sikh prisoners, majorly hitting inter-city movement of traffic.
Since March 10, 2023, when the NGO’s PIL was taken up for the first time, the matter has been heard on multiple occasions and hearings deferred on assurances that a peaceful resolution will be made. But the authorities have only been making empty promises, the NGO has contended.
The site has seen multiple incidents of violence in the 460 days since the protest started. On February 8 last year, protesters had clashed with police forces at the Sector 52/53 dividing road after being stopped from marching towards Chandigarh, leaving 33 cops injured. Terming it a “well-thought-out conspiracy”, Chandigarh Police had booked six persons and put around 30 on the suspect list.
The court observed that despite repeated opportunities given, neither Punjab nor the UT had been able to give any solution to commuters of Chandigarh and Mohali.
“On account of handful of persons sitting and blocking the road, inconvenience is being caused to commuters and residents of the tricity, and the misery is continuing,” it said.
The Centre was made party on October 9, 2023, as Punjab told the high court that it was an inter-state issue, and besides Punjab and Chandigarh, the central government also needed to take steps for resolution of the impasse. The Centre is yet to respond.
The court lamented that no resolution has been found despite Centre being made party and the Punjab DGP being summoned in the matter almost one year back.