NEW DELHI, Feb 24 - Expressing concern over damage to public and private properties during violent protests, the Supreme Court today said it would lay down �parameters� to fix accountability for losses on organisers as the country cannot be held to �ransom�.
�The country must know what are the consequences. No one can take the country to ransom during agitations. Whether it is BJP, Congress or any other organisation, they must realise that they can be held accountable for the damages to public property,� a Bench, headed by Justice JS Khehar, said.
The observation, which came during the hearing of a plea of Gujarat Pattidar leader Hardik Patel, assumes significance in the wake of large-scale violence and loss of public and private properties in Haryana during the Jat quota stir.
The Bench, also comprising Justice C Nagappan, said that irrespective of organisation, the organisers of such violent protests would be made accountable for the damages.
�Where is our country going? You just cannot burn the country�s or its citizens� properties. Whether it�s BJP or Congress or whichever organisation or party it is, it may be asked to pay for the property damaged. They will collect the money and pay for the damages,� the Bench said. It said, �We must take a call on the issue and we would frame guidelines for taking action against people indulging in such acts.� � PTI
