New Delhi: Hundreds of lawyers, including Vikram Singh Chauhan and Yashpal Singh, who beat up journalists and JNUSU leader Kanhaiya Kumar in a Delhi court complex, today took out a protest march here against those indulging in “anti-national” acts.
Chauhan, the face of the attacks and Singh against whom Delhi Police has issued summons in connection with the assault on Monday and Wednesday in the Patiala House court complex, skipped their appearance before police and joined the protesters.
Both appeared unfazed as they said they “will not think twice before acting against the anti-social elements.”
“I was very much part of the protests and why should I not be,” Chauhan said.
Asked why he did not appear before police as summons were served on him in connection with the case, Chauhan said, “I will act as per instructions given by my seniors.”
Three days back, police had issued summons to three lawyers asking them to make themselves available before the investigators of the case.
“We will keep attacking the anti-nationals no matter what.
We will not tolerate any insult to our motherland. Let police issue summons against us,” said one of Chauhan’s colleagues.
Clashes between rival student groups in Jaipur and police action in Hyderabad where several people were detained marked the protests in other cities.
In the national capital, the lawyers, mostly from Patiala House and several other district courts, marched around the India Gate circle, shouting slogans and waving the tricolour, amid heavy police security. They were demanding action against those “indulging” in “anti-India” activities.
Waving the tricolour, the lawyers shouted slogans like “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and marched amidst tight security.
Chauhan’s colleagues told the media that the lawyers did not indulge in violence against anyone, including journalists.
Members of ABVP, a RSS student wing, and Congress’ student wing NSUI clashed during their protests over the JNU row outside Rajasthan University campus in Jaipur.
The groups of students clashed at the main gate of the University. They were holding their respective protests and demonstration on the JNU issue when the incident occurred, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) K Rastradeep said.
Another lawyer claimed those who attacked the mediapersons were outsiders and do not belong to the legal fraternity.
“They were not lawyers. Lawyers do not cross limits set by the rule books. Outsiders may have been there. Media is defaming the community,” he said.