Sambalpur: 5-day High Court Bench protest begins, shape of movement changed with lawyers wearing black badge and Government offices closed

Sambalpur: The nature of the movement demanding the establishment of a High Court bench in Sambalpur has changed. Today’s movement on behalf of Sambalpur District Bar Association was completely different. A day-long agitation was held today by the District Bars Association. As planned, government offices were closed. While all the government offices were closed by the District Bar’s Association, the lawyers were sitting in front of the office of the Attorney’s Association. The agitation continued from 10 am to 6 pm. Various organizations, committees, political parties of Sambalpur supported the demand of the High Court bench.

There was no restriction on the access of judges to the court premises today. However, after last week’s police-lawyer situation, the police remained on alert this morning. A large police force was deployed at the local Kacheri Street, while both sides of the court were barricaded a short distance from the gate and traffic was restricted. The judges were able to enter the court unhindered by the police cordon. But not even one of the lawyers sitting without wearing a black badge was involved in court proceedings. As a result, although the court remained open, court proceedings were somewhat disrupted. There was a lot of dissatisfaction today regarding the excessive work of the police. The security system of Lower PMG was overpowered by the security of today’s Kacheri Street. On the other hand, there was intense dissatisfaction with the policy of the state government and the demand for the formation of a separate state was raised today. To which the District Attorney’s Association also expressed its support.

Even after the strict approach of the Supreme Court, the District Bar’s Association is ready to fight for the rights of the people of the region. Every Wednesday in the month of November, agitations, protests and work in government offices were stopped. According to the previous decision, the lawyers will present their ideas in front of the district court from today to the next 11th. This concept will continue from 9 am to 6 pm. At this time, lawyers will not work. Instead, they will dress in black badge and give their opinion peacefully. The judges will go to court. But no lawyer will join the court proceedings and it has been decided that the proceedings will be dismissed. Other districts have also joined the movement of the District Attorney’s Association, which is demanding the establishment of a High Court bench in West Odisha. Therefore, the entire Odisha may be affected by the action to be taken after 12th, according to reliable sources. However, it was decided in today’s meeting that nothing will be changed in the movement to be held on 7th.

“Police Picketed”

Today in the court premises, the excessive action of the police is being condemned everywhere. In the morning, senior lawyers Sri Debta used to go to the court with his car. But the police did not let him go. When he crossed a barricade and came to attend to the court work, he was seen guarding the police in front of the court gate. Senior lawyer Shri Debta expressed his displeasure and said that it was picketing by the police.

Did not even leave the corpse!

Today, an unpleasant situation arose when the police barricaded Kacheri Street for the protest of the lawyers. When a minor died in Binakhandi, his relatives used to bring Rajghat to cremate him. But the police did not release them. Even after requesting for a long time, the relatives were forced to take the dead body to Raj Ghat from another route as the police did not leave the road.