JOIN USThe City Civil Courts complex did not function for the 10th consecutive day and a sense of frustration and betrayal loomed large over protesting lawyers.
They raged against the police and the media, reiterating their demand for the removal of DG&IGP Shankar Bidari and City Police Commissioner B G Jyotiprakash Mirji.
What really seemed to be hurting the advocates though was the fact that some of their fellow brothers had abandoned the cause and were appearing in the High Court only a few meters away.
At the court complex, peanuts, icecreams and evening newspapers sold briskly. Lawyer after lawyer, came up to the stage, held the megaphone and complained that they were only allowed megaphones not loud speakers. Everyone raised the same question: What next?
No one seemed to have an answer to that question.
The call for a total boycott of courts wasn’t even heard a few meters away. A few of the lawyers questioned the strategy of the protest. Some expressed their disappointment with their seniors appearing in the High Court openly, while others felt that the seniors were misled and it was their duty to make them see the real picture.
A lawyer from Hubli-Dharwad region, B D Hiremath, advised protesting lawyers to work in the morning and protest only after the working hours, but no one seemed to be in the mood to listen.
HC functions normally
Much against the Advocates Association Bangalore’s boycott call, the High Court on Monday functioned as usual.
Earlier in the morning, the agitators met Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen seeking him to initiate contempt action. Justice Sen refused to listen to them and said they should give up their protest first and then come for talks.
A few judges too expressed their displeasure at some advocates not returning to work. When an advocate sought an adjournment, Justice Ram Mohan Reddy said: “Why tomorrow? Aren’t you satisfied with a whole week strike. We cannot allow this. We have conscience to answer.” In many courtrooms, clients appeared before the judges and sought adjournments themselves.