'Will Together Find Solution': SC Mediators Leave Shaheen Bagh Protest Site; Talks To Continue On Thursday

Appointed by the apex court, senior advocate Sanjay Hegde and advocate Sadhana Ramachandran mediated with the protesters and persuade them to move their protest to an alternative site where no public place is blocked.

SC appointed interlocutors Sanjay Hegde and Sadhna Ramchandran interacts with the protestors at the site of their ongoing agitation against CAA and NRC, at Shaheen Bagh. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: The two mediators appointed by the Supreme Court to negotiate with protesters of Shaheen Bagh on Wednesday reached the agitation site in the national capital to talk to the people and resolve the issue while maintaining that protest is a fundamental right. Appointed by the apex court, senior advocate Sanjay Hegde and advocate Sadhana Ramachandran mediated with the protesters and persuade them to move their protest to an alternative site where no public place is blocked. Hundreds of people, especially women, have been camping at Shaheen Bagh for over two months in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), blocking an arterial road due to which the city has been facing traffic congestion. Before beginning the talks, Hegde read out the order of the Supreme Court. "SC has upheld your right to protest, we will listen to everyone," Ramachandran said after reading top court's order in front of the protesters. “Supreme Court has said that you have the right to protest. The CAA has already been challenged in the top court and hearing on the issue is scheduled to happen soon. Like us, others too have their rights. Everyone has right to use roads and open their shops,” Ramachandran told protesters as she initiated a dialogue. ALSO WATCH | SC Mediators Hegde, Sadhana Reach Shaheen Bagh To speak To Protesters “We are ready to listen to your demands and I am sure that together we can come to a conclusion. By doing this, let us set an example, not just for India, but for the world," she said. “We would like to speak to everyone here and keep everyone briefed. We have no favourites and we hope to resolve the matter with everyone's will and cooperation,” another mediator Hedge told protesters. Opening statements of the mediators were welcomed by the protesters with applauds. The decision came after a brief argument between the interlocutors and protesters over the presence of media during the dialogue, as protesters weighed in on having conversation in presence of the media. "Jo baat hogi sabke saamne hogi" (Talks will take place in front of everyone), women protesters at Shaheen Bagh shouted as senior lawyer Sadhna Ramachandran announced that interaction will not start before video recordings were stopped. While taking to the mediators, protesters have said that they are not responsible for road blockade near the protest site. The protesters have claimed that they have only covered 150 meters in Shaheen Bagh and its rather the Delhi Police who have blocked the roads from three-sides. While talking to reporters, the interlocutors, Hegde and Ramachandran, said they had come to Shaheen Bagh to listen to people who had assembled in large numbers.

Delhi: Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran address protesters in #ShaheenBagh.

Watch LIVE: https://t.co/PQbT45sMtv pic.twitter.com/LENWRrsYd7 — ABP News (@ABPNews) February 19, 2020

Conclusion Of Today's Interaction: After almost 2-hour long interaction with the protesters, SC-appointed mediators informed that the talks were fruitful and they would come back tomorrow to continue the interaction. "We met them and listened to them. We asked them if they want us to come back tomorrow as it's not possible to complete the talks in one day. They said they want us to come back tomorrow, so we will," Ramachandran told media after the interaction. "We have 4 days to talk, after that we will have other ways for dialogue," Ramachandran added. While protesters wanted media to stay and record the dialogues, however, eventually it was decided that media will have to leave the protest site and the protesters will provide minutes of the interaction with Interlocutors to the media after the meeting. The apex court has fixed the matter for further hearing on February 24. ALSO WATCH | Shaheen Bagh: What SC Mediators Hegde And Sadhana Told Protesters? The Supreme Court on Monday, while hearing a plea against the blockade, appointed senior advocate Sanjay Hegde and advocate Sadhana Ramachandran to mediate with the protesters and persuade them to move their protest to an alternative site where no public place is blocked. The apex court said people have a fundamental right to protest against a law but the blocking of public roads is a matter of concern and there has to be a balancing factor. The top court was hearing an appeal filed by advocate Amit Sahni seeking directions to the Delhi Police to ensure smooth traffic flow on the Kalindi Kunj- Shaheen Bagh stretch, which was blocked by anti-CAA protesters on December 15.