Calcutta High Court Disallows Protest Seeking To Block Railways & Highways Demanding Benefits For Santhali Tribal Community

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday declined to allow a protest by a social welfare organisation seeking to agitate rights of tribal people, particularly the Santhali community.

The organisation had sought to undertake a 'rail and road roko' protest by blocking railways and national highways on 20th December to get the state government to give into their demands such as inter alia establishment of a Santhali education board.

In declining the plea, a division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya relied on their earlier order declining a similar protest sought to be held by the 'Kudmi community' and held:

"The question would be whether the organisation can [block the road and rail]. The answer should be a definite no. We had an occasion to deal with a similar agitation by the 'Kudmi' community. This was objected to and a PIL was filed. An order was passed and the said protest was disallowed by us. This is essentially a policy matter, demanding reservation for a particular community and the court cannot pass any directions on the government to formulate any policies."

The Cort however directed the State to engage in a discussion with the aggrieved persons in order to alleviate their grievances.

Case: SHERU SONKAR VS STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS.

Case No: WPA(P) 503 of 2024