Kolkata, Dec 17 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday restrained a tribal organisation from holding a blockade of national highways or railway tracks over their demand for inclusion in the scheduled tribe category.
The court said that since the representation involves a large section of people, it would be advisable for the government to take into consideration their representation and if feasible, to call for a discussion with the members of the organisation so that the issue can be sorted out.
A division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam restrained the members of the organisation from holding any such agitation blocking the national highways or railway tracks which they proposed to observe from 6 am on December 20.
The bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, directed that in the event there is any violation of this order, the state government can take appropriate legal action against those persons who defy the directions.
A PIL (public interest litigation) before the court stated that an unregistered organisation named Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal has planned an agitation, demanding a Santhali medium education board and related issues, including that they be brought under the scheduled tribe reserved category.
The lawyer for the respondents, who called the agitation, placed before the court a copy of its representation dated October 30 to the West Bengal chief minister with the demands.
The representation also threatened to embark on an indefinite agitation if their demands were not met by December 15, involving thousands of tribal people.
In another representation to the National Highway authorities, they also threatened to block National Highway 16 indefinitely from December 20.
The court observed that the demands are essentially policy matters and those involving the inclusion of a community as a reserved category in the Constitution.
The bench said that the court cannot direct the government to formulate a policy in a particular manner. PTI AMR BDC
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