"Can't Lathicharge Just Because There Is Agitation": Supreme Court's Big Remark

The Supreme Court on Monday made it clear: that the right to peaceful protest is "absolutely guaranteed" under the Constitution, underlining that there can't be lathicharge just because there is an agitation. The top court was hearing a batch of petitions seeking a probe into the incidents of July 20, when the protesting students' Sansad Chalo march to Parliament was statedly met with use of tear gas and batons. "The right to peaceful, lawful protest absolutely guaranteed under the Constitution. So long as it is peaceful agitation, merely because there is agitation, there can't be lathicharge," the top court said. The top court has also agreed to hear separate plea alleging police personnel were beaten up during protests on NEET paper leak.