BALANGIR: A lawyer, Naseeb Khan, on Monday got his head shaved as a mark of protest against delay in establishment of a permanent bench of Orissa High Court here. Pressing their demand, the lawyers have ceased work since December 3 and staged a demonstration in the town on Monday. During the protest, Khan got his head tonsured in public alleging that the State Government has remained indifferent to their genuine demand.
Meanwhile, members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and District Bar Association have called for a complete shutdown till December 30. JAC convenor Lalit Kumar Nayak said all major Government offices, including the Collectorate, tehsil office and the courts in the district will remain closed from December 24 to 30 in support of the demand.
“The agitation for the High Court bench in Balangir will be intensified and all the offices of the State and the Central governments, banks, schools and colleges will remain closed from December 24 to 30 in the district,” convener of Joint Action Committee, Lalit Kumar Nayak said. As many as 300 organisations of Balangir have extended their support to the shutdown call. This is the second such incident within a month. On December 6, another lawyer, Madan Seth had tonsured his head over the demand.