By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Bhopal District Bar Association taking a cue from its Dhar counterpart the Bar Association of Dhar, a town near Indore, has taken a pledge not to plead cases of alleged terrorists.
Bhopal Bar Association president Rajesh Vyas administrated the oath to the members in the name of motherland with soil in their palms. They resolved that they would not take up the cases of persons tagged with terrorists’ label. The oath ceremony attended by over two dozen advocates was held in the ‘Bar Room’ of Bhopal District Court on Monday afternoon. None of the advocates practicing crime attended the meet.
Speaking on the occasion Vyas said that the Bar members would request other advocates as well not to plead the cases of alleged terrorists. “After the Delhi blasts, in which a police inspector was killed, we decided to pledge in this regard,” he added.
Other advocates also expressed their views on the occasion while criticising terrorism, Naxalism and religious fanaticism. They demanded for enactment of strict laws for controlling terrorism, Naxals activities, process for rapid disposal of cases and setting up special courts without any delay.
Tributes were paid to to Inspector Mohan Chandra Sharma who was fatally injured when a police raid was conducted in Jamia Nagar at New Delhi a few days back. A two minutes silence was observed on the occasion to pay respects to the departed soul.
The programme was organised under the joint aegis of District Bar Association, Bhopal; Junior Lawyers Association and Matribhumi Raksha Manch.
It may be recalled here that the Bar Association of Dhar in April 2008 had declared that no local lawyers can defend terror-accused Muslims. Yet, no action has been taken against this ‘illegal’ declaration till date.
Then advocate Noor Mohammad of Ujjain had travelled to Dhar to defend an accused in a terrorism case, wherein alleged SIMI activists were nabbed. He was then assaulted by a group of lawyers and activists of saffron brigades at the Court’s gate and was badly beaten up.
“I told the judge about this,” Noor had said. “I told him that the life of the accused might also be in danger and requested that the case be transferred elsewhere. The judge told the lawyers, who were beating me, to leave the court premises. The judge repeated this three times but they refused to listen”.
‘They told me that I must say that I don’t want to take any action against the lawyers and that I was not hurt. ([email protected])