SC says agitators can't hold India to ransom, they 'll be made to pay

The Supreme Court on Wednesday maintained that the country cannot be held to ransom by agitations and said that the court would lay down certain parameters to fix accountability for damage of property during the agitations. The Apex Court division bench, headed by Justice Dipak Misra, made the observation while hearing a petition filed by Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel. The Top Court took a tough stand on agitations which caused huge problems and inconvenience to the common people. The financial losses due to the agitation by the Jats in Haryana is yet to be calculated in detail. But it is estimated that the Jats have caused losses varying from Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore. The Jats who form the chunk of 29% in Haryana did not spare the other communities either. Apart from public property such as the railways, the protesters ransacked and damaged private property this time. Malls, cinema halls and scores of new cars at showrooms were torched, shops looted and private residences damaged. Munak canal supplying water to Delhi was stalled till the Army moved in took control. Nineteen people in all were killed in the recent Jat agitation. The court will hopefully look into this aspect also.