Over 16 lakh lawyers across the country, except in the Supreme Court, struck work to condemn the attack on lawyers by the police in Jaipur and Chandigarh in response to the call given by the Bar Council of India (BCI) to abstain from work.
BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra and BCI Spokesperson S. Prabhakaran, in a statement, while thanking the legal fraternity for their cooperation, requested Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir to intervene and initiate contempt proceedings against the police personnel who entered the court premises and attacked the lawyers.
They said, “More than 100 lawyers sustained grievous injuries and the condition of four lawyers remains critical. Even now the Rajasthan government has not initiated any steps to take action against the erring police officials.”
While condemning the brutality unleashed on lawyers, they said in many States, lawyers and leaders of the Bar took out a peaceful procession against the police department.
The BCI has demanded action to suspend the police officials immediately. The BCI has said it would not tolerate unruly attacks on lawyers. “The judiciary should take immediate steps against the higher police officials.”
The BCI felt the higher police officials were threatening the independence of legal professionals discharging their duty.
Contending that the freedom of expression, freedom of professional liberty and the right of lawyers’ right to practice was in danger, the BCI requested the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene immediately.
