Supreme Court to hear petition in matter.
By Dileep Thekkethil
Considering the gravity of the attack unleashed on journalists, Jawaharlal Nehru University students and teachers in the Patiala House court premise by a group of advocates, with the police taking no action in the matter as the assault went on, India’s Supreme Court has agreed to hear an urgent plea in the matter, on Wednesday.
The incident leading to the attack on the students, teachers and journalist happened moments before the JNU student’s union leader Kanhaiya Kumar was to be produced in the court after he was arrested by the Delhi police on sedition charges.
The petition filed by a JNU alumnus N D Jaiprakash, who was one among the people hurt during the attack on Tuesday, sought the intervention of the Supreme Court as the Delhi police turned a blind eye to the unfortunate incident that happened inside the court premises.
The Indian Express reported O P Sharma, BJP MLA from Vishwas Nagar, Delhi, and his supporters pinned down CPI minority cell leader Ameeque Jamei and assaulted him outside the court complex.
The petition has sought a direction to Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police to take precautionary measure so that such untoward incidents does not happen inside court premise or inside the court as it could put the life of accused in danger.
On Tuesday, hundreds of journalists took to the streets to protest against the attack and demanding legal procedures against the ones involved in the assault. The agitated journalists who raised anti-Modi slogans and questioned the inaction of the Delhi Police marched from Press Club of India to the Supreme Court and submitted a memorandum to the Registrar seeking the cancelation of the license of the lawyers who were involved in Monday’s assault.
The protesters also demanded the sacking of Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi due to alleged inaction by the security personnel.
Even as the Supreme Court agreed to hear the plea, it accepted the memorandum submitted by the journalists seeking action against the perpetrators of the violence at Patiala House court complex.
The memorandum read, “We demand the intervention of the highest court of the land to take appropriate action against the advocates involved in the assault.”
The memorandum also urges the court to direct the bar council to cancel the licenses of the errant advocates.
The reason for the angry protests of the journalist is attributed to the inaction of the Delhi Police which has so far not registered a single case against the advocates nor against the Delhi BJP MLA OP Sharma who is believed to have orchestrated the attack on CPI activists, said reports.
Another set of journalists met India’s home minister Rajnath Singh demanding his direct intervention and ensuring “accountability of the Delhi Police who watched silently as the assault happened”.
The journalist also demanded the CCTV footage of the incidents that happened on Monday to be produced and asked the ministry to ensure police is directed to give protection to the journalists and other media persons.
On Monday, close to 40 advocates who are believed to be BJP supporters attacked journalists and JNU students and teachers who gathered at the Patiala House court premise ahead of the hearing of the sedation case filed against JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar. Kumar was arrested in connection with alleged anti-India slogans raised in the university last week while protesting the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.