The incidents of violence outside Kerala High Court has shaken up the Bar in the whole State..According to sources, lawyers across the State boycotted work today to express solidarity with the Kerala High Court Bar..There have been reports of more violence, this time from the State capital, Thiruvananthapuram..Courts across the State witnessed burning of newspapers, locking media rooms and protest marches..Social media was flooded with opinionated lawyers who expressed their anguish at the one-sided reporting of the events..It has been a very unpleasant episode, no doubt. It all started with the arrest of Government Pleader Dhanesh Mathew Manjooran..Advocates have been clamouring all along that the media is presenting a one sided version of the story..Bar & Bench spoke to lawyers from the Ernakulam and they had a different tale to tell. Below is the version of events that could be gathered from lawyers practising in Kerala High Court..How it began.Lawyers maintain that the current state of affairs has nothing to do with the Manjooran incident. However, the troubles were indeed triggered by the arrest of Manjooran pursuant to which Kerala High Court Advocates Association called a General body meeting to discuss organising a protest march against what they called as “framing” of Manjooran..However, Manjooran it is understood personally requested the KHCAA not to organise the protest march as it could worsen the situation..The decision to hold the protest march was, therefore, put on hold. However, it was only the lull before the storm..Day 1: Deccan Chronicle report.Deccan Chronicle carried a report on July 19 stating that there are differences within KHCAA on supporting Manjooran and that was the reason for putting the protest march on hold. When the same came to the notice of the lawyers, they asked the reporter to correct the same. According to lawyers, the reporter initially agreed to the request. However, later media persons got together in the room and started preparing a petition in protest against the lawyers. This led to a further spat between media persons and lawyers but lawyers maintain that it did not escalate into a serious issue. (The journalists, however, claim that there was heckling and abuse by the lawyers)..Things, however did not end there. In the evening a media contingent along with some goondas (as claimed by the lawyers) marched to the High Court in protest. This led to stone pelting in which an advocate was injured..Day 2.Locked media room?.The media room was expected to be locked on orders from the Registrar General. However, lawyers spotted a few scribes inside the room. They were asked to leave the room and they obliged. Lawyers then spotted some journalists capturing the episode on their cameras. Some of those were the same scribes who were involved in the violence, the previous evening. This irked the lawyers leading to clashes in which a few media persons were at the receiving end..Violence at day’s end.Journalists organised a protest march and blocked gate 2 of the High Court shouting slogans and expletives. The trouble, however, began when a lawyer tried to get past the journos on his motor cycle. According to lawyers, his two wheeler was stopped by the scribes and his helmet forcibly removed while one of the crowd members rammed his camera into the lawyer’s face..This triggered violent clashes with few lawyers suffering injuries and being hospitalised..Lawyers then took to social media condemning the one-sided reporting of the events..Day 3: Bar shuts down.The attack on lawyers in Kochi triggered an outrage amongst lawyers across the State. The State Capital, Thiruvanathapuram, witnessed attack by lawyers on media persons. The media room in Vanchiyoor court was locked and a sign pasted on the door read, “Fourth gender not allowed inside”..Meanwhile, the KHCAA met again today and has resolved to request the Government and the High Court for a probe into the incident by a retired judge..Police – once again a mute spectator.The incident of violence in courts across the country have one thing in common – the shocking inaction of police forces deployed for maintaining law and order..It is common knowledge that pathetic police forces across the the country is one of the major reasons for lawlessness in India. However, the inaction of these forces even when Constitutional institutions come under attack is on the rise..While the Supreme Court’s orders to Delhi police fell on deaf ears as lawyers went on a rampage at Patiala House, Chief Justice of Madras High Court Sanjay Kishan Kaul had to summon CRPF to restore sanctity in Madras High Court..The Kerala police, the lawyers allege, have followed suit and allowed protests marches to happen near HC premises when there is an order that no such demonstrations can be held within 100 meters from the court premises..High court inaction.Lawyers have also not hidden their disappointment at the inaction of the Kerala High Court. There is a lot of talk in the Bar about the freedom which members of the press have been showered by High Court judges..“They are allowed to walk into the chambers (of judges) and get copy of orders even before we can access it. This culture of judges patronising media must stop”, a lawyer said on condition of anonymity..What now?.It has been learnt that if Trivandrum Bar boycotts court tomorrow, the Bar in Kochi will follow suit. We may not have seen the end of this yet!
The incidents of violence outside Kerala High Court has shaken up the Bar in the whole State..According to sources, lawyers across the State boycotted work today to express solidarity with the Kerala High Court Bar..There have been reports of more violence, this time from the State capital, Thiruvananthapuram..Courts across the State witnessed burning of newspapers, locking media rooms and protest marches..Social media was flooded with opinionated lawyers who expressed their anguish at the one-sided reporting of the events..It has been a very unpleasant episode, no doubt. It all started with the arrest of Government Pleader Dhanesh Mathew Manjooran..Advocates have been clamouring all along that the media is presenting a one sided version of the story..Bar & Bench spoke to lawyers from the Ernakulam and they had a different tale to tell. Below is the version of events that could be gathered from lawyers practising in Kerala High Court..How it began.Lawyers maintain that the current state of affairs has nothing to do with the Manjooran incident. However, the troubles were indeed triggered by the arrest of Manjooran pursuant to which Kerala High Court Advocates Association called a General body meeting to discuss organising a protest march against what they called as “framing” of Manjooran..However, Manjooran it is understood personally requested the KHCAA not to organise the protest march as it could worsen the situation..The decision to hold the protest march was, therefore, put on hold. However, it was only the lull before the storm..Day 1: Deccan Chronicle report.Deccan Chronicle carried a report on July 19 stating that there are differences within KHCAA on supporting Manjooran and that was the reason for putting the protest march on hold. When the same came to the notice of the lawyers, they asked the reporter to correct the same. According to lawyers, the reporter initially agreed to the request. However, later media persons got together in the room and started preparing a petition in protest against the lawyers. This led to a further spat between media persons and lawyers but lawyers maintain that it did not escalate into a serious issue. (The journalists, however, claim that there was heckling and abuse by the lawyers)..Things, however did not end there. In the evening a media contingent along with some goondas (as claimed by the lawyers) marched to the High Court in protest. This led to stone pelting in which an advocate was injured..Day 2.Locked media room?.The media room was expected to be locked on orders from the Registrar General. However, lawyers spotted a few scribes inside the room. They were asked to leave the room and they obliged. Lawyers then spotted some journalists capturing the episode on their cameras. Some of those were the same scribes who were involved in the violence, the previous evening. This irked the lawyers leading to clashes in which a few media persons were at the receiving end..Violence at day’s end.Journalists organised a protest march and blocked gate 2 of the High Court shouting slogans and expletives. The trouble, however, began when a lawyer tried to get past the journos on his motor cycle. According to lawyers, his two wheeler was stopped by the scribes and his helmet forcibly removed while one of the crowd members rammed his camera into the lawyer’s face..This triggered violent clashes with few lawyers suffering injuries and being hospitalised..Lawyers then took to social media condemning the one-sided reporting of the events..Day 3: Bar shuts down.The attack on lawyers in Kochi triggered an outrage amongst lawyers across the State. The State Capital, Thiruvanathapuram, witnessed attack by lawyers on media persons. The media room in Vanchiyoor court was locked and a sign pasted on the door read, “Fourth gender not allowed inside”..Meanwhile, the KHCAA met again today and has resolved to request the Government and the High Court for a probe into the incident by a retired judge..Police – once again a mute spectator.The incident of violence in courts across the country have one thing in common – the shocking inaction of police forces deployed for maintaining law and order..It is common knowledge that pathetic police forces across the the country is one of the major reasons for lawlessness in India. However, the inaction of these forces even when Constitutional institutions come under attack is on the rise..While the Supreme Court’s orders to Delhi police fell on deaf ears as lawyers went on a rampage at Patiala House, Chief Justice of Madras High Court Sanjay Kishan Kaul had to summon CRPF to restore sanctity in Madras High Court..The Kerala police, the lawyers allege, have followed suit and allowed protests marches to happen near HC premises when there is an order that no such demonstrations can be held within 100 meters from the court premises..High court inaction.Lawyers have also not hidden their disappointment at the inaction of the Kerala High Court. There is a lot of talk in the Bar about the freedom which members of the press have been showered by High Court judges..“They are allowed to walk into the chambers (of judges) and get copy of orders even before we can access it. This culture of judges patronising media must stop”, a lawyer said on condition of anonymity..What now?.It has been learnt that if Trivandrum Bar boycotts court tomorrow, the Bar in Kochi will follow suit. We may not have seen the end of this yet!
