Govt offers dialogue after cops lathicharge lawyers

The lawyers are demanding that the Centre should not enforce the CPCamendment Act which sought to expedite trial in civil cases and also thatthe entry of foreign lawyers in the country should not be allowed. In aquick response to the police action in Delhi, in which several lawyers andpolicemen sustained minor injuries, the Delhi High Court Bar Association hasdecided to continue with its strike on Friday. It was joined late Thursdayby several other lawyers associations, including the Delhi BarAssociation.

The lathicharge on the lawyers figured in the Rajya Sabha when the Housereconvened in the afternoon, with agitated Opposition members demanding anexplanation from the Government for the use of force. Law Minister RamJethmalani had to assure the House that he would make a statement on thelathicharge after ascertaining the full facts. In a statement issued later,the Law Minister climbed down from his earlier hardline stance, saying thecontroversy could be resolved by an 8220;intelligent dialogue.8221;

8220;This controversy is one which is eminently capable of being resolved byintelligent argument,8221; Jethmalani said, adding that 8220;the ugly consequencesof the strike are for everyone to see.8221; 8220;Changes in the CPC may bediscussed even now, though they should have been discussed in 1997 itselfwhen the Bill was first passed,8221; he said. Jethmalani charged the lawyerswith rejecting his invitation for a dialogue and added that unfortunately,the strike had already gathered momentum which could neither be controllednor put on reverse gear. However, Delhi HC Bar Association president A SChandihoke, who was coordinating the agitation, said the police actionshowed that the Government was not serious on the issue and Jethmalani8217;scall for a dialogue was 8220;only for public consumption.8221;

He said that the one-day strike has been converted into an indefinite strikeafter the police action against them and a future course of action would befinalised in a meeting of representatives of various bar associations.

8220;Lawyers were not averse to dialogue but there should be at least aninvitation from the Government to them,8221; he said, adding that 8220;we are notoutrightly rejecting the proposals, but the Government has never consultedus.8221;

Work in the Supreme Court, Delhi HC and subordinate courts in Delhi wascompletely paralysed due to the strike. Reports from various states,including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Haryana said that the strikebrought the functioning of over 10,000 courts in the country to a grindinghalt. Earlier, over 5,000 advocates from northern states, who were marchingfrom India Gate were stopped short of Parliament by police leading to anugly clash.

Delhi police said it resorted to lathicharge when teargas shells and watercanons proved ineffective to prevent the agitated lawyers from breaking thebarricades. The lawyers, however, maintained that the lathicharge was8220;unprovoked.8221;