Home Min, UP deliberately blocked roads: Azad tells SC

NEW DELHI: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Wednesday filed an application in the Supreme Court saying the Home Ministry and the Uttar Pradesh government have deliberately blocked alternate roads far away from Shaheen Bagh leading to traffic jams for commuters on Delhi, Noida and Faridabad stretch. Azad filed this intervention application to bring on records facts in the pending case, which sought the apex court to pass direction to clear the Shaheen Bagh protest site, as it is causing inconvenience to daily commuters.

The Supreme Court in the previous hearing questioned the indefinite road blockage, which causes inconvenience to daily commuters. The top court had said petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act are pending in the court. Seeking to bring to court’s notice some of the “collusive acts” of the administration, Azad’s applications said, “The Home Ministry as well as the State of Uttar Pradesh are blocking alternate roads that are far away from Shaheen Bagh to deliberately cause traffic jams for commuters.”

The application contended that Shaheen Bagh protest is considered an “iconic” peaceful protest (antiCitizenship Amendment Act), which has been replicated in many major cities of the country.

The Supreme Court in the previous hearing questioned the indefinite road blockage, which causes inconvenience to daily commuters.