LI Network
Published on: February 14, 2024 at 12:37 IST
In a notable turn of events, a majority of the Executive Committee members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) have expressed disagreement with a letter previously sent by SCBA President Senior Advocate Adish C Aggarwala to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), urging suo motu action against “erring farmers” amidst the ongoing farmers protest.
Thirteen members of the SCBA Executive Committee issued a resolution, clarifying that the SCBA President had penned the letter “unilaterally without any consultation with the members of the Executive Committee.”
They emphasized that the controversial letter, bearing the SCBA letterhead, misrepresents the association’s stance and does not reflect its collective opinion.
Consequently, the executive members have disassociated themselves from the contents of the letter.
“This letter has been issued by the President unilaterally without any consultation with the members of the Executive Committee. The letter written on the Supreme Court Bar Association letterhead gives the incorrect impression that the letter is written on behalf of the Supreme Court Bar Association. We do not agree with the contents of the letter and disassociate ourselves with this letter.”
The resolution bears the signatures and support of several prominent members, including Mr. Meenesh Kumar Dubey, Joint Secretary, and Mr. Arjit Prasad.
In his letter to the CJI, the SCBA President raised concerns over the farmers’ protest, citing their planned demonstration in Delhi on February 13. While acknowledging the farmers’ grievances, he urged the Supreme Court to intervene and prevent potential disruptions to public life.
Even as he acknowledged the farmers’ grievances, the SCBA President suspected the protests to be “politically motivated” and called for suo motu action against the protesters, asserting that they shouldn’t cause inconvenience to the general public.
The disagreement within the SCBA Executive Committee underscores the complexity and sensitivity surrounding the farmers’ protest, which has emerged as a focal point of contention in India’s socio-political landscape.