Ghaziabad Bar cancels membership of four lawyers who are now MLAs, ministers

The bar association in a letter said it has cancelled the memberships of Sunil Sharma, the incumbent IT and electronics minister of Uttar Pradesh, backward class welfare minister Narendra Kashyap, Loni MLA Nadkishor Gurjar, and Muradnagar MLA Ajitpal Tyagi

The bar association of Ghaziabad has cancelled the membership of four lawyers, who are now MLAs and UP ministers,and said these ousted members have not supported the ongoing lawyers’ agitation following the lathicharge incident at the Ghaziabad courts complex on October 29.

The lawyers in Ghaziabad have been on strike since October 29 after a disagreement during a bail hearing allegedly escalated to violence, arson, and sparked off a police lathicharge inside a courtroom. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The bar association in a letter said it has cancelled the memberships of Sunil Sharma, the incumbent IT and electronics minister of Uttar Pradesh, backward class welfare minister Narendra Kashyap, Loni MLA Nadkishor Gurjar, and Muradnagar MLA Ajitpal Tyagi.

Sharma, Gurjar and Tyagi are Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs from Sahibabad, Loni and Muradnagar, respectively.

“The executive committee decided to cancel the memberships of our lawyers -- Sunil Sharma, Nandkishor Gurjar, Ajitpal Tyagi and Narendra Kashyap --who are now MLAs and ministers. However, they did not support our ongoing agitation and there has been no contribution of any sort from their side to support our cause. Hence, a decision was taken to cancel their membership and also scrap their voting rights,” said Deepak Sharma, president, Ghaziabad bar association.

The letter issued by the bar also said the four were asked to clarify their position through a letter dated November 29, but there was no response.

The lawyers in Ghaziabad have been on strike since October 29 after a disagreement during a bail hearing allegedly escalated to violence, arson, and sparked off a police lathicharge inside a courtroom. Thereafter, the lawyers have been demanding action against police and transfer of a judicial officer.

Since the October 29 incident, many lawyers have also been booked in six different FIRs lodged on complaint by police and private persons.

Reacting to the issue, Kashyap said the action against lawyers was unjustified.

“I have always supported their cause and gave my statements to newspapers to this effect. It is due to my engagements with work that I was not able to find time to go and meet the protesting lawyers. I support the lawyers as I also practised at the Ghaziabad court previously. They should be given justice. Once I find time, I will go and meet them and reassure them of my support,” Kashyap said.

Muradnagar MLA Ajitpal Tyagi did not respond to calls for comment on Thursday.

UP minister Sunil Sharma could not be reached out for comments.

Loni MLA Nandkishor Gurjar said he feels that lawyers’ agitation is on a weak footing.

“The protesting lawyers are demanding action against a judicial officer but they are not pressing for action against the police officer on whose orders the lathicharge was taken up. Once they take their demands and agitation in right direction, I will support them. I am the member of the state bar and there is no bar on me practising anywhere in Uttar Pradesh,” Gurjar said.