DEBATE ON LAWYERS ARE BETTER THAN POLICE
Answers
THE recent violence involving lawyers and policemen on the premises of the Madras High Court was as shameful as it was regrettable. It is widely recognised in Chennai that the clash served only to erode further the already low image of both lawyers and the police. It also raised questions on how far the common man can rely on them to uphold the law of the land in a crisis.
The prompt arrival of Justice B.N. Srikrishna in Chennai at the instance of the Supreme Court and the businesslike manner in which he completed his preliminary inquiry offer hope of an objective reporting of the basic facts to the court. (My own information is that the lawyers did a good job presenting their case, while policemen were extremely defensive and shy of meeting the judge and articulating their point of view. I am, therefore, apprehensive that their case could go by default.)
Justice Srikrishnas inquiry is an essential step forward because, at present, some fundamental facts are garbled and disputed. The rival groups could not have asked for a better assessor of the situation. The judge has an excellent reputation, and the clinical approach he brought to bear upon his investigation into the Mumbai riots several years ago was praised widely. It is an entirely different matter that a biased State government was averse to accepting his findings. A judge who is acclaimed as fearless and non-partisan is the best bet to ferret out basic facts in a situation that is surcharged with emotions and acrimony where truth could be a casualty.
Justice Srikrishna visited the scene and has formed his own impressions. I am sure that he, being a fair-minded person, will go the extra length to find out how both groups behaved. The dominant view is that both sides indulged in riotous and disorderly conduct. Images shown on television channels depicted high-handedness by both sides. Scenes of policemen beating up hapless advocates and also those caught in the crossfire were disgusting. No less revolting were the images of advocates in robes throwing stones at the police. The arson at the police station on the campus is squarely attributed to the lawyers by the police although the lawyers can easily get away by putting the blame on outsiders.