The super legal battle of Chennai
The recent lawyer-police standoff in Madras High Court poses a series of questions on the public behaviour of the professions that are worthy of emulation. Thankfully, their action did not attract support from fellow lawyers outside the state
THE LAWYERS of Tamil Nadu have displayed their utter disrespect and contempt for law several times in the past and last month's incident comes as an icing on the bitter cake.
Not feeling apologetic about the unruly behaviour of some of their colleagues in the High Court premises when they attacked Janata Party leader Subramanyam Swamy for his alleged anti-LTTE remarks, the entire legal fraternity went berserk and smashed windscreens of judges' cars, thrashed the policemen on duty and also damaged the public property at will, in full public view.
Not to be left behind, the policemen on duty also exhibited their high handedness and caned the lawyers, adding to the trouble. The lawyer-police standoff lasted for several days, forcing the government to intervene and appoint a committee, which blamed both the parties. While the advocates were blamed for creating trouble, the policemen were held responsible for getting provoked and taking the issue to new heights.
The incident sent shock waves among the common public, who were hitherto gullibly under the impression that the law-makers and law-enforcers are law-abiders too. The lawyers continued to take the legal proceedings to ransom by staying away from duty for weeks, demanding an unconditional apology from the policemen, which was not forthcoming. Similarly, they erected pandals outside the court and staged a dharna like a freak political outfit, forgetting that they belonged to a decent profession worthy of emulation.
Understandably, due to compulsions, no bar association in the country blamed the Chennai lawyers for their behaviour. Thankfully, their despicable action did neither attract support from fellow lawyers outside the state. The advocates elsewhere have perhaps understood the futility of siding with their trouble-mongering fraternity and hence preferred to stay away from the issue.
This is not the only case when the lawyers of Chennai wielded sticks and stones to express their protest. Several times in the past, the lawyers had flagrantly displayed their scant respect for law and smashed the windows of the court rooms for trivial things. When the same is punishable under a series of Sections for a common man, the judicial officers have, for reasons best known to them, were found to have treated the lawyers with kid gloves. Their free access to the judicial officers should not be the only criterion for the lawyers to go scot-free after committing what they ought not to have. Not should the principle of collective bargaining and trade unionism applied in this case of vandalism.
Things preached should be first put into practice. It best fits the lawyers in this case. There is no second opinion among the public that the lawyers should behave in a more responsible manner and should not take the law into their hands. Anyone listening...?
Not to be left behind, the policemen on duty also exhibited their high handedness and caned the lawyers, adding to the trouble. The lawyer-police standoff lasted for several days, forcing the government to intervene and appoint a committee, which blamed both the parties. While the advocates were blamed for creating trouble, the policemen were held responsible for getting provoked and taking the issue to new heights.
The incident sent shock waves among the common public, who were hitherto gullibly under the impression that the law-makers and law-enforcers are law-abiders too. The lawyers continued to take the legal proceedings to ransom by staying away from duty for weeks, demanding an unconditional apology from the policemen, which was not forthcoming. Similarly, they erected pandals outside the court and staged a dharna like a freak political outfit, forgetting that they belonged to a decent profession worthy of emulation.
Understandably, due to compulsions, no bar association in the country blamed the Chennai lawyers for their behaviour. Thankfully, their despicable action did neither attract support from fellow lawyers outside the state. The advocates elsewhere have perhaps understood the futility of siding with their trouble-mongering fraternity and hence preferred to stay away from the issue.
This is not the only case when the lawyers of Chennai wielded sticks and stones to express their protest. Several times in the past, the lawyers had flagrantly displayed their scant respect for law and smashed the windows of the court rooms for trivial things. When the same is punishable under a series of Sections for a common man, the judicial officers have, for reasons best known to them, were found to have treated the lawyers with kid gloves. Their free access to the judicial officers should not be the only criterion for the lawyers to go scot-free after committing what they ought not to have. Not should the principle of collective bargaining and trade unionism applied in this case of vandalism.
Things preached should be first put into practice. It best fits the lawyers in this case. There is no second opinion among the public that the lawyers should behave in a more responsible manner and should not take the law into their hands. Anyone listening...?
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