Bombay High Court on Wednesday said the younger generation was teaching everyone how to protest peacefully, which “makes their voice stronger”, while referring to student protests against the recent violence at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

A division bench of Justices S.C. Dharmadhikari and R.I. Chagla made this remark while hearing a petition filed by an NGO, Wecom Trust, on whether Shivaji Park at Dadar in central Mumbai was a playground or a recreation ground. The petitioner had said the ground should not be permitted for any activity other than sport.

The bench said if the government, the ground’s trustee, feels that it can be used for other activities, why should the court interfere. People cannot expect courts to function as a “watchman”.

“Nowadays, members of the civil society have started assembling and protesting peacefully and they have realised that this makes their voice stronger,” Justice Dharmadhikari said.

“The younger generation is teaching us that. All the seniors should understand that.”