The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a petition filed by the Centre through Delhi Police, seeking injunctions on the proposed tractor rally on the occasion of Republic Day on January 26. The heads of farmer unions have announced that they will take out a tractor parade in the national capital. On Sunday, Yogendra Yadav said that farmers will carry out a tractor parade on the Outer Ring Road in Delhi on Republic Day. “The parade will be very peaceful. There will be no disruption of the Republic Day parade. The farmers will put up the national flag on their tractors,” he said.

Last week, the central government moved the apex court seeking injunction to what it believes will disrupt the gathering and celebrations of the Republic Day. In an application, the Centre has said that the proposed march would “disturb and disrupt the august celebrations of the nation” on Republic Day.”

The plea further said that the proposed march is bound to create a serious law and order situation and will cause an embarrassment to the nation. It also said that the right to protest is always subject to the “countervailing public order and the public interest” and the right to protest can never include “maligning the nation globally”.

In its application, the government has also said that the Republic day function each year has its own constitutional as well as historical significance. It said that the ceremony is not an isolated standalone ceremony rather a grand rehearsal takes place on January 23. “Any disruption or obstruction in the said functions would not only be against the law and order, public order, public interest but would also be a huge embarrassment for the nation,” it said.

However, farmers have assured that their tractor march is not intended to disrupt the Republic Day ceremony, and would be peaceful. The top court has decided to take up the matter today. This comes just a day before the Centre and farmers are scheduled to meet for the tenth round of talks on January 19.

On January 11, the SC stayed the implementation of laws and formed the four-member committee to resolve the deadlock.