CHENNAI: The lawyers, who started agitations to protest against the killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka, have now shifted their focus, in several stages, to police atrocities and punishment to officers and men found responsible for the clashes at the Madras High Court on Thursday and Friday.
The lawyers in the State had started boycotting courts and staged various forms of agitation in the courts, tribunals and other fora from January 30 on the Sri Lankan issue.
Initially, their attack was on the Sri Lankan government and its President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Later, the Congress party, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukerjee and even State Chief Minister M Karunanidhi became their target. This agitation continued till February 17.
On February 17, the final day of agitation on the Sri Lankan issue, the focus fell on Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy when he came to the High Court to implead himself in the Chidambaram Natarajar temple appeal. He was attacked and rotten eggs were hurled at him inside the court hall in the presence of two judges. On complaints, cases were registered and some advocates were arrested.
On February 18, the advocates boycotted the courts to express their resentment to the amendments made to the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC).
On February 19, when a group of advocates lodged a counter-complaint seeking the arrest of Swamy under the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/ST Act there were pitched battles between the lawyers and the police. A High Court judge sustained head injury in the violence, while advocates, police personnel, media persons and others were also injured.
