Several lawyers staged a demonstration outside the Telangana High Court building on Wednesday appealing to Supreme Court to withdraw contempt proceedings initiated against lawyer Prashant Bhushan.
Pledging solidarity with Mr. Bhushan, who was held guilty of contempt of court by the apex court for his tweets against judiciary, the lawyers staged a silent demonstration protesting the contempt proceedings against him. “We appeal to the Supreme Court to withdraw the proceedings against Mr. Bhushan. Constitution has given right to every citizen to express his opinion,” lawyer V. Raghunath said while taking part in the demonstration.
He observed that expressing one’s opinion on an action or issue cannot be construed as contempt of court. Taking up the issue of the tweets by Mr. Bhushan as an urgent matter was not a fair play, he said.
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Telangana Bar Council member and senior lawyer B. Konda Redy said it was the British who introduced contempt of court proceedings. While in England and other developed countries such proceedings were done away with, it was deplorable that they were being practised in the world’s largest democracy of India, he said.
Mr. Reddy said that the apex court could have taken the opinion of Attorney General on the matter. Normally, people approach the courts to challenge the punishments awarded to them in any issue.
“What are the options left for a citizen if the courts themselves hear an issue pertaining to them and award punishment,” he said.
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The lawyers appealed to Supreme Court to review its decision on Mr. Bhushan’s tweets.