The nine-member team of advocates and activists, who were on an indefinite fast since Thursday last with the demand to make Tamil the official language of Madras High Court, gave up the protest on Friday following the intervention of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Advocates’ Associations in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Advocate Bhagavath Singh, who was part of the team that observed the fast, said that they had decided to temporarily give up the protest following persuasion by the JAC that the demand had to be taken up in a bigger way with participation of advocates across the State.
“The general body of the JAC is meeting later this week. The office-bearers, who visited us, assured that all advocates’ associations would be asked to pass resolutions demanding that Tamil be immediately made official language in Madras High Court. Subsequently, the Central government would be given an ultimatum to meet our demand. If the Centre does not meet our demand, JAC will organise mass protest in Chennai or Delhi,” he said. Meanwhile, advocates would also be urged through JAC to begin arguing in Tamil in the High Court henceforth.
He said that a section of advocates in Madurai and activists from like-minded organisations were also planning a human chain protest next week to highlight the demand.
During the protest that lasted for nine days, V. Murugan, an advocate, and L. Meyyappan, an activist from May 17 Movement, were hospitalised since their health deteriorated.
