The Bar Association suspended its 28-day strike on Monday after receiving a written assurance from the government regarding the construction of chambers and land allotment. The association and the Sangharsh Samiti justified this assurance and made this decision. Following this, some voices of protest were raised. In the evening, the association’s auditor, Lalit Bhandari, and Seven Plus member, Anuradha Chaturvedi, resigned, refusing to accept the assurance.
On Monday, Minister of State Vinay Rohilla, Home Secretary Shailesh Bagoli, District Judge Prem Chand Khimal, CJM Rinki Sahni, District Magistrate Savin Bansal, SSP Ajay Singh, and former Leader of the Opposition, Municipal Corporation, Ashok Verma, arrived at the protest site. They informed the lawyers of the government’s written assurance in accordance with their demands and requested the suspension of the strike. Following this, Bar Association President Manmohan Kandwal announced the suspension of the strike on behalf of the entire executive committee. He also thanked everyone, including the Minister of State, Home Secretary, and judicial members. A message was also issued stating that the government had accepted all the lawyers’ demands.
And protests began.
Following this decision by the association, several lawyers and former executive president Rajiv Sharma Bantu called the government’s written assurance misleading. He stated that he and most of the Bar Association members disagreed with the government’s written assurance and opposed the decision to suspend the strike. He stated that the government had not provided clear assurances regarding chamber construction and land allotment. There is still no clarity on their key demands. The lawyers demanded that the government construct the chambers, but the written assurance clearly stated that a proposal would be brought before the Cabinet to provide financial assistance. Despite this, the struggle committee and the association president arbitrarily suspended the strike. If the lawyers continued their strike from Tuesday, they would stand with them.
The resignation of two members further fueled this protest. Seven Plus member Anuradha Chaturvedi and auditor Lalit Bhandari resigned with immediate effect. Following this, the executive committee appeared to be in crisis. The Executive Secretary and Vice President resigned four days ago, as per the rules, to contest the Uttarakhand Bar Council elections.
The Bar Association and the Struggle Committee issued a stern warning.
Following the announcement of the end of the agitation, and the opposition from several lawyer leaders, the Bar Association and the Struggle Committee issued a stern warning, stating that the agitation, which began on November 10th, has been suspended. If any lawyer or group protests at the protest site from Tuesday onwards, the Bar Association Dehradun and the Struggle Committee will not be held responsible. The Struggle Committee stated that any lawyer or group that continues to protest at the protest site, individually or in groups, will be solely responsible for their actions. This warning clearly implies that if any lawyer continues to protest at the protest site, either individually or in groups, such actions will be their personal responsibility and will not receive any support or protection from the organization.
The government has not received assurances regarding the demands; it is incomprehensible why the Association and the Struggle Committee President accepted them. The government’s refusal to accept the demand for chamber construction has angered lawyers. They are firm on their demand and will remain at the protest site.
