Anti-CAA protests: CJI says rioting must stop, issues warning to Jamia students

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a stern warning to the protesting Jamia Milia Islamia University students and asked them to stop the riots. CJI SA Bobde said that if violence and destruction of public property continues then the apex court would not hear the case. The students were protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

"Just because they happen to be students, it doesn't mean they can take law and order in their hands, this has to be decided when things cool down. This is not the frame of mind when we can decide anything. Let the rioting stop," said CJI Bobde.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising called the police's actions on the students a violation of human rights and appealed to the SC to take suo moto cognizance of the issue.

CJI Bobde said that the case would be determined and all the pleas would be heard only after the rioting stops. "We will determine the rights but not in the atmosphere of riots, let all of this stop and then we will take suo motu cognizance. We are not against rights and peaceful demonstrations," he said.

When an advocate attempted to show a video that was shot on Sunday at the Jamia campus, CJI Bobde said, "We don't want to see videos. If the violence and destruction of public property continues, we will not hear it."

The development comes as several pleas were filed after violent clashes between Jamia students and Delhi Police took place on Sunday. The apex court would also hear similar pleas on clashes in Aligarh Muslim University.

Not only Jamia students, students from universities across Delhi as well as the country have taken to the streets to demonstrate against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which was passed by the Parliament to become an act.

Several videos that emerged on social media showed Delhi Police lathicharging and using tear gas to contain the protesting students. 

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