Republic Day violence: Plea in SC for probe by panel led by ex-Judge

New Delhi: A lawyer has moved the Supreme Court and urged it to set up a three-member commission headed by one of its former judges to probe the violence during the farmers' tractor rally on the Republic Day in Delhi.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari urged the top court to issue directions for registration of an FIR against persons/organisations responsible for "dishonouring the national flag".

"Unfortunately, the tractor rally took a violent turn, leading to injuries and destruction of public property. This incident also affected the daily lives of the public in Delhi. The Internet services were interrupted as the government ordered the service providers to suspend the same," the plea read.

The lawyer contended that it was necessary to determine who all were responsible for the violence -- police or protesters.

He insisted that all aspects of the matter require thorough investigation through an independent agency, which could be done by setting up an inquiry commission under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court Judge.

The plea contended that hoisting a pennant of a particular religion "at the place of the tricolour" is very sad and an insult to our national dignity.

"... whether there were some organisations apart from farmers who in the cloak of farmers were trying to achieve their ambitions and goals that are not in our national interest", the petitioner added.

A Mumbai-based law student too has written to Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde, to take suo motu cognisance of the Red Fort incident.

On Tuesday, protesting farmers swarmed the Red Fort during a 'tractor rally' even as police tried to prevent them from driving towards central Delhi. The farmers barged into the 17th century monument, climbed up its ramparts and waved farmer union flags and banners and even hoisted a pennant from a flagpole.