Chennai: Advocates who picketed the approach roads to Madras high court on Monday not only earned the wrath of motorists, but former judges of Madras high court are also now upset with the behaviour of lawyers on the issue.
Coming down heavily on advocates for staging demonstration, former judge of high court S. Jagadeesan said “The agitation of advocates is totally unwarranted. If advocates are aggrieved by the action of Bar Council of India so far as the suspension of some advocates, they should go to Delhi for legal remedy.” During the daylong agitation, the public were prevented from using the first line beach road. When that be so, how can advocates proclaim that the agitation is for public interest, he said.
When the Chief Justice has called for discussion, why the advocates persist for withdrawal of the rules. There is no justification on their part in claiming a written undertaking from CJ, Jagadeesan told DC when contacted.
Meanwhile, there were also voices in support of striking lawyers. Former high court judge, D. Hariparanthaman, alleged the Bar Council of India was “targeting” lawyers from Tamil Nadu and adopting “different yardsticks” on the issue of suspending agitating lawyers.
In a Facebook post, he said while the Bar Council of India was adamant that it would not suspend the lawyers who allegedly beat up JNU student Kanhaiya Kumar in February this year, without an inquiry, it has “proactively shown the door for lawyers” belonging to Tamil Nadu. The high court should immediately withdraw amended rules. Bar Council should cancel the suspensions, Hariparanthaman said.
