CUTTACK: A split in lawyers’ unity appeared on Saturday with BJD Legal Front withdrawing its support and Orissa High Court Bar Association vice-president resigning from his post. The reactions came a day after Orissa High Court Bar Association declared to intensify its strike and burn an effigy of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in front of 164 Bar Associations across the State on October 31.
Convener of BJD’s legal front Milan Kanungo said they have urged the members of the front to attend court proceedings either from October 29 or 30. The Front said the decision was taken after the High Court Bar Association announced to burn the effigy of Chief Minister.Advisor to the Front, advocate Asim Amitabh Das said they are extending support to the cease work from day one but the decision to burn effigy of Chief Minister is unjustified and seems to be politically motivated.
“Hence, the legal front has decided to join the court proceedings,” said Das.
“We support the strike but condemn the resolution. We have urge BJD Legal Front members and other advocates to resume court proceedings,” said Das.Addressing mediapersons, High Court Bar Association vice president Bansidhar Satpathy said though no decision was taken in the General Body meeting regarding burning of Chief Minister’s effigy, Association’s secretary had given false and fabricated statements which compelled him to resign.
Meanwhile, Orissa High Court Bar Association Secretary Satya Brata Mohanty clarified that he had no official information in this regard and termed the matter as unfortunate. Reacting to the matter, a group of Orissa HC Bar Association raised slogans against office-bearers of BJD Legal Front.The lawyers are on an indefinite strike following the alleged assault on a colleague by a police personnel on August 28. They have been demanding arrest of the police personnel involved in the assault.