13 Feb 2024 4:35 PM GMT
In a dramatic development, the majority of members of the Executive Committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association have disagreed with an earlier letter sent by SCBA President Senior Advocate Adish C Aggarwala to the Chief Justice of India seeking suo motu action against "erring farmers" in the context of the farmers protest.
The 13 members of the Executive Committee of the SCBA, have in a resolution, clarified that the SCBA President wrote the letter “unilaterally without any consultation with the members of the Executive Committee.”
Expressing that the controversial letter written on the letterhead of the SCBA gives a wrong impression that it reflects the opinion of the SCBA, the respective executive members have disagreed and dissociated with the contents of the said 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 of the executive committee is signed and supported by the following persons :
The SCBA President, in his letter to the CJI, stated that "inspite of the best efforts of the Government of India to protect the interest of the farmers, some farmers are en route to Delhi from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab and are gearing up for a large-scale protest in the national capital on February 13."
"Even if the farmers have genuine demands, they don't have the right to put the general public to hardship. This is the right time when the Hon'ble Supreme Court should act suo motu and ensure that these farmers don't create any nuisance and cause huge inconvenience to the general public," he said.
Suspecting the the farmers' protest to be "politically motivated", SCBA President urged the CJI to take suo motu action against "the erring farmers for forcibly trying to enter Delhi in a bid to create nuisance and disturb the daily life of citizens."