The standoff over the lawyers-police clashes last week on the Madras High Court premises continued on Tuesday,with protesting lawyers refusing to take part in a negotiation with a top-level government team.
Caught between the agitated lawyers and a disappointed police force,the Tamil Nadu Government had initiated two rounds of talks with representatives of various lawyers associations to bring back normality in the High Court. The first round of talks was to be held on Tuesday.
However,the lawyers who were invited boycotted the meeting,Law Minister Durai Murugan told the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
The Government was to be represented by Durai Murugan,Chief Secretary K S Sripathy,Home Secretary S Malathi,DGP K P Jain and other senior police officials including city Commissioner K Radhakrishnan,who is in the eye of the storm for the lathicharge on the lawyers. Several lawyers,High Court staff and even senior judges were injured in the lathicharge.
The lawyers have refused to relent to any peace move. According to Paul Kanagaraj,president of the Madras High Court Advocates Association,the lawyers were not ready for any discussions as their demand for action against officials had not been met. The lawyers associations had demanded the suspension of senior police officials including the Commissioner,and the removal of DGP KP Jain.
Meanwhile,doctors attending on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said his health was a matter of concern and that he should not go on a fast.