Women lawyers on Thursday petitioned the Supreme Court seeking to block the entry of two defence lawyers in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case for their derogatory remarks against women in the controversial BBC documentary India’s Daughter .
A petition filed by the Supreme Court Women Lawyers’ Association said the comments had become a cause of fear and insecurity among women lawyers practising in the apex court. The comments are an affront to the dignity of women, it said.
'Right to work with dignity in SC threatened'
The petition filed by the Supreme Court Women Lawyers’ Association said the comments of the defence lawyers in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case, M.L. Sharma and A.P. Singh, had caused a “sense of insecurity, indignation and fear among them.”
The remarks threatened their right to work at the Supreme Court with dignity and without gender bias, the plea said.
Mr. Sharma is shown in the BBC documentary as saying: “…. she should not be put on the streets just like food. The ‘lady’, on the other hand, you can say the ‘girl’ or ‘woman’, are more precious than a gem, than a diamond. It is up to you how you want to keep that diamond in your hand. If you put your diamond on the street, certainly the dog will take it out. You can’t stop it… “
Mr. Singh is shown saying that “if my daughter or sister engaged in pre-marital activities and disgraced herself and allowed herself to lose face and character by doing such things, I would most certainly take this sort of sister or daughter to my farmhouse, and in front of my entire family, I would put petrol on her and set her alight.” The petition followed a show-cause notice issued by the Bar Council of India against the two lawyers. If found liable, their licence to practise law could be revoked.
