One farmer was quoted by the news agency as saying, "My paddy has been lying at the center for last 20 days. Nobody is doing anything, my wife and kids are starving. Govt isn't listening, how am I supposed to survive?"
Citing the Supreme Court's judgement in 1992 Indira Sawhney's case, the NGO through its petition claimed that granting reservation solely based on the economic criteria violates both the Constitution and Supreme Court's 1992 observation.
The petition to permit promoters to bid for their own companies was initially filed by the promoters of Bhushan Power and Steel. Later, the Court had merged similar petitions filed by operational creditors of Binani Cement.
According to the India Today report, Hebe Benjamin's husband was an officer in the Indian Army and served in the Corps of Engineers. He had retired in 1966 and had relocated with his family to Israel.