Delhi Police personnel ended their 11-hour protest on Tuesday evening after senior officers assured them that their grievances would be addressed, PTI reported. The protestors relented after Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Satish Golcha urged them to resume duty.
Golcha announced a compensation of at least Rs 25,000 for the injured policemen, ANI reported. He assured the demonstrators outside the police headquarters that a review petition would be filed against the Delhi High Court order in connection with a clash between the police and lawyers at the Tis Hazari Courts Complex on November 2. On Sunday, the court had ordered that no action should be taken against the lawyers involved in the Tis Hazari clash. The court also ordered a judicial inquiry into the violence and the transfer of two senior police officers. There was violent confrontation between the police and lawyers at Saket Court on Monday.
The protesting policemen had also demanded the revocation of the licences of the lawyers involved in the violence. The demonstrators were also addressed by Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Devesh Srivastava, who said “no departmental action will be taken against those who are protesting”. Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik and Joint Commissioner of Police Rajesh Khurana also talked to their protesting colleagues.
Earlier in the evening, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal said it was imperative to restore the trust between the police and lawyers, and ensure justice is done impartially, PTI reported. Baijal made the remarks after a meeting with the city police commissioner, chief secretary and other senior administration officials.
The lieutenant governor toldAmulya Patnaik that senior officers should visit the policemen injured in clashes with lawyers on Saturday and Monday “to boost their morale and comfort their families”, ANI reported. The injured officials will be given suitable ex gratia payment, and both the injured policemen and lawyers should be provided “best possible medical treatment”, Baijal instructed Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev.
Meanwhile, Special Commissioner (Intelligence) Praveer Ranjan also briefed Baijal about the prevailing situation and the High Court’s orders. The court issued a notice to the Bar Council of India and other bar associations after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs filed an application seeking clarifications about its order from Sunday. The Centre has asked the court for a free hand to act against lawyers named in incidents of violence since the Tis Hazari clash. The High Court declined to pass an interim order on some lawyers’ plea to stop the media from showing videos of the clashes that “could make situations worse”. The matter will be heard again on Wednesday.
Sisodia calls for immediate end to dispute
In the afternoon, the Delhi government called for an immediate solution to the standoff between lawyers and the police. The current situation was unfortunate, said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
“On one side, there are lawyers who provide justice to people and on other hand, police give security to people,” Sisodia said at a press conference. “They [lawyers and the police] are the people on whom the common man has confidence.” He added that the dispute should have been handled at the appropriate time.
Earlier in the day, his Aam Aadmi Party colleague Saurabh Bhardwaj accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of emboldening Delhi Police so much that “we are living in a police state”. “The police is least concerned about basic law and order issues in Delhi,” he added. “Police officers are so arrogant. Delhi Police has been converted into political entity and works like an armed wing of BJP.”
The Congress has called the police protests a “new low in 72 years”. “Police on protest in ‘National Capital of Delhi’. Is this BJP’s ‘New India’? Where will BJP take the country,” tweeted party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Surjewala also asked why Home Minister Amit Shah was silent on the matter. “Where is Home Minister Amit Shah?” he asked. “Please come forward and tell us how do you want to ensure that law and order is maintained in the national capital of Delhi and the entire matter is being sorted out as per the cannons of law.”
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