: Taking a surprising strident stand on violence in the Patiala House Courts on February 15 and 17, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has sought to justify the attacks by lawyers on others as a “reaction to the incidents, which are grave in nature and very dangerous for the country”.
A mob of lawyers had assaulted JNU students and teachers, journalists and others during the remand proceedings of student leader Kanhaiya Kumar. The BCI has submitted its report on these incidents to the Supreme Court, which is seized of the matter, in the shape of an affidavit.
While informing the Apex Court of its decision to constitute a three-member panel to probe the incidents, BCI Joint Secretary Ashok Kumar Pandey said a large number of JNU teachers and students and others had arrived at the court in three to four buses and raised slogans and used “provocative words”.
ADVERTISEMENT
This led to the untoward incident in which “both the sides took part,” said the report, adding that “any true citizen or a lawyer of India” was supposed to react strongly to the ‘anti-India’ slogans.
At its General Council meeting held on February 21, the BCI noted that its chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra had already tendered an apology for the attack on journalists.
“Whatever might be the background or reason, the class of advocates is not supposed to indulge in the incidents of abusing or untoward occurrence on the court premises, that too in [their] robes,” said a resolution.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The Council appeals to the legal fraternity to allow media persons to discharge their duties peacefully and cooperate with them in their functioning,” stated the resolution.
The BCI said the incident of abuses being hurled at the members of a lawyers' committee sent by the Supreme Court to Patiala House Courts was also taken note of.
This conduct of advocates was very unfortunate, said the report.
BCI report says any true citizen
is supposed to
react strongly to anti-India slogans