The Supreme Court today, underscored the severity of the ongoing farmers' protest issues, cautioning litigants against filing petitions solely based on newspaper reports for publicity. 

The bench, of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan, allowed the petitioner, Agnostos Theos, Managing Director of the Sikh Chamber of Commerce, to withdraw his plea alleging violations of the rights of peacefully protesting farmers by the Centre and some states.

The counsel representing Theos initiated the withdrawal request at the beginning of the hearing, expressing an intention to amend the petition. Responding to this, Justice Kant admonished against filing petitions without thorough research, stating, "These are very serious issues. Don’t file these petitions based only on newspapers reports for publicity purposes. Only those persons who are serious & committed should file these petitions."

The Supreme Court emphasized the complexity of the matters at hand and advised the petitioner's counsel to exercise diligence in their research. The bench reminded the counsel that the high court was already seized of the matter, indicating that the petitioner should be aware of existing directions issued by the higher court.

The withdrawn plea by Theos alleged that the Centre and some states had issued threats and fortified the national capital's borders in response to protests by farmer unions seeking legal guarantees for minimum support prices (MSP) and the implementation of the Swaminathan committee’s recommendations. 

The plea claimed that protesters faced arrests, forcible detentions, and undue measures such as the invocation of prohibitory actions by the government, including blocking social media accounts, rerouting traffic, and blocking roads.

The petitioner accused the governments of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh of employing aggressive and violent measures against farmers, including the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and pellets, resulting in serious injuries and, in some cases, deaths. 

The plea argued that the fortifications at Delhi’s borders created a hostile and violent situation, impeding farmers from exercising their democratic right to protest.

The plea sought a writ of mandamus in the interest of farmers facing unfair treatment during peaceful protests. It specifically called for the consideration of reasonable demands by farmers, fair and respectful treatment, and the allowance of free movement. 

Additionally, the petition sought a comprehensive report on alleged human rights violations by the police, along with adequate compensation for victim farmers and their families.