High drama was witnessed at the Patiala House court yet again on Wednesday where two groups of lawyers were seen raising slogans inside the court premises and beating up each other, including journalists.
“There were two groups of lawyers present. One pro-Kanhaiya and another anti-Kanhaiya. I was curious as to what was happening. So, I went over to the side of the police to find out what was happening. An anti-Kanhaiya lawyer saw me taking a picture and started beating me up,” Firstpost reporter Tariq Anwar told ANI.
He added that the police stood on watching as he got thrashed by the lawyers. “I told them again and again to save me but to no avail. I have a picture of the clash that ensured with me,” Anwar added.
Meet us the punching bags of Patiala court. First post reporter Tariq thrashed by lawyers @dna pic.twitter.com/exml25n8pC
— Azaan Javaid (@AzaanJavaid) February 17, 2016
Meanwhile, despite the Supreme Court issuing strict guidelines for a hearing on the sedition charges against JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar, the lawyers chanted pro-India slogans and carried the national flag as a scuffle broke out among them.
“People who said ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ have been made heroes and we are being called ‘gundas’. They are trying to beat us up and we are not even supposed to respond?,” Vikram Chauhan, the lawyer who was seen beating up scribes and students yesterday, told the media outside the court.
Earlier today, the apex court ordered Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi to ensure security to the accused and limit the number of journalists to be present inside the court room to five.
“No other advocates other than that of accused and the prosecution will be present during the proceedings in court room. Only 25 reporters can stand outside,? the apex court said.
However, the lawyers disrupted the proceedings in the top court and raised pro-India slogans.
Earlier on Monday, a group of lawyers and others, including Delhi BJP legislator O.P. Sharma, were seen beating up reporters and students, calling them ‘anti-national’.