Suspension of two JHCBA members invites sharp criticism by Jammu lawyers
Jammu: The controversial decision of the J&K High Court Bar Association to suspend two Bar members has invited sharp criticism from people across party lines.
They condemned the decision of suspending Senior Advocate and Former Bar President A V Gupta and Former Senior AAG S C Gupta over their stance of strengthening and retention of Article 35-A in the Indian Constitution.
In an emergent meeting on Friday in the High Court Complex Jammu, the members of Jammu Bar under the chairmanship of Jameel Ahmed Kazmi Former Vice President of Jammu Bar and Former AAG unanimouslydecided to hold a peaceful demonstration on Saturday in the High Court Complex at 10:30 AM to express solidarity with the suspended duo.
A statement said that it was resolved in the meeting that in case the suspension of the eminent lawyers is not recalled “then future course of action will be chalked out including en-mass resignation from the membership of the Bar”.
Advocate Kazmi further appealed to all the Muffasil/District Bar Associations of Jammu Province to hold peaceful demonstrations for expressing solidarity with two senior Members of the Bar on Saturday.
In his presidential remarks, Advocate Kazmi condemned the “arbitrary suspension” of his two senior colleagues for expressing their views on the strengthening and retention of Article 35-A of Indian Constitution.
Advocate Kazmi further stated that “nobody in Jammu Bar can thrust his/her political ideology to appease their political bosses for their personal gains as this Bar has remained apolitical since its inception”.
He expressed gratitude to the “sane voices in Jammu Bar who have stood against the unconstitutional and politically motivated decision of the Jammu Bar”.
Advocate Kazmi appealed to all the members of Jammu Bar to remain united and not to be “misled by a particular ideology being thrusted by those who are at the helm of affairs”.
Former Government Advocate and a senior member of the Bar, Hafiz-ul-Rehman castigated the decision of the Bar and stated that Jammu Bar had always maintained its secular ethos.
He said the decision of suspending two senior members “is a political appeasement and needs immediate revocation”.
Advocate Ashok Basotra urged for en-mass resignation in case the “arbitrary suspension of the two senior Advocates is not recalled”.
He further stated that bar members will “not allow communal agenda to be pursued for political gains by those who are at the helm of affairs of Jammu Bar”.
Advocate Pawan Kundal (Ambedkar Activist) while lambasting the decision of the Bar asked whether Bar had the “mandate to regulate the freedom of speech and expression of its members and whether such type of conditions can be imposed on the members of legal fraternity and he further stated that if such an agenda will be pursued then he does not want to be associated with such an Association”.
In her remarks, Advocate Supriya Singh Chouhan lamented the “snatching of fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression of members of legal fraternity who guarantees the rights to the common people being the social engineers of the society”.
“Taking away of such freedom of speech and expression of lawyers is highly condemnable and censured,” she said.
Former Government advocate and a prominent Gujjar Leader Anwar Chowdhary demanded a ‘no confidence motion’ against the office bearers of Jammu Bar for “such an unconstitutional decision of suspending two eminent members of the Bar”.
Advocate Chowdhary also demanded convening of a General House Meeting of Jammu Bar.
He said the issue “concerns more than 3000 members of the Bar belonging to various social/political thoughts/ideologies and the decision of suspending 2 senior members is highly condemnable and needs immediate reversal”.
He further stated that action was taken against two senior members “to appease a political ideology being pursued by a political party for dividing the Jammu
Bar”.
Advocate N.D. Qazi dubbed the decision of Jammu Bar as “unconstitutional and violative of constitutional ethos” and expressed complete solidarity with two senior members of the Bar.
Advocate Javaid Iqbal Sohil stated that Jammu Bar was “not aligned to a particular ideology and no Bar member can be stopped from expressing his/her views on constitutional matters with special reference to the special status enjoyed by the State of J&K under Indian Constitution”.
Advocate Amir Awan in his comments espoused the secular ethos of Jammu Bar and said that Bar “will not allow any particular agenda to be followed by a politically motivated section for their political gains”.
Others who were present in the meeting include Advocates Mohd. Aslam Bhat, M.A. Shah, Qayoom Chowdhary, Irfaan Mohd. Khan, Hilal Ahmed Wani, Asif Iqbal, Sheikh Najeeb Ashraf and Mohd. Zulkarnain Chowdhary.
Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed conducted the proceedings of the meeting. (CNS)
KV News
