Tis Hazari clash: Lawyers to resume strike today, claim ‘failure’ of talks with Delhi police

Having abstained from work since November 4, the lawyers on Friday had announced that they were suspending their protest. But on Sunday, the lawyers’ bodies said that they were resuming their strike since the police failed to meet their demands.

Less than 48 hours after they announced the suspension of their agitation against alleged police action, lawyers on Sunday said they would resume their strike at all district courts in Delhi from Monday due to what they described as the “failure of talks with the Delhi Police”.

The lawyers had suspended their stir on Friday. (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

A meeting between top Delhi Police officers and members of the Bar Council of India (BCI) and Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) was held on Sunday in L-G’s office resolve the standoff that ensued after a clash between the police and the lawyers on November 2 at Tis Hazari court.

Having abstained from work since November 4, the lawyers on Friday had announced that they were suspending their protest. But on Sunday, the lawyers’ bodies said that they were resuming their strike since the police failed to meet their demands.

“Despite our cooperation, no concrete step has been taken to arrest the police persons who fired at advocates. So, there would be a complete abstinence from work with all peaceful modes in all Delhi district courts,” said Dhir Singh Kasana, the secretary general of coordination committee of all district courts.

Describing what happened at Sunday’s meeting, Kasana said that the police did not agree to the demand of the arrest of two assistant sub-inspectors – one who had allegedly dragged an advocate to the lock-up following a parking dispute, and the other who had allegedly fired and injured two lawyers.

Manan Kumar Mishra, the BCI president, said that the strike will now continue until the two police personnel are arrested.

Rahul Dev Sharma, an advocate at Tis Hazari court, said most of the lawyers are not happy since they feel their consent was not taken before announcing suspension of strike on Friday. On Sunday morning, some lawyers at Tis Hazari court staged a protest to express their discontent.

Senior police officers said that a team of 10 representatives, including two special commissioners, two joint commissioners and deputy commissioners, was constituted on Friday. The team met the lawyers’ representatives at a meeting chaired by the L-G on Sunday evening. “During the discussion, it was explained by the Delhi Police officers since the judicial enquiry is already underway further action can be taken against any of the alleged persons only on the basis of the outcome of the judicial inquiry. The L-G has appealed to both lawyers and police to continue holding the talks to resolve the issue amicably,” a spokesperson for the police said.