Lawyers' Strike: Karunanidhi Threatens To Go On Fast

Lawyers' Strike: Karunanidhi Threatens To Go On Fast Dated : 22 Feb 2009, 2236 hrs IST, Source : PTI CHENNAI: Text: Piqued by the violent clashes in the Madras High Court on February 19 and subsequent agitation by lawyers, Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday said he would go on a fast from his hospital bed if an "amicable solution" was not found on the issue. In a statement here he said police and lawyers should erase the "bitterness" that has emerged between them following the clashes. Karunanidhi alleged that there were some forces which were trying to deepen the differences between the police and lawyers and expressed concern that such forces were only trying to disrupt the law and order maintained in the state. Lawyers and police officials should not fall prey to those forces who are trying to complicate the crisis, he said. Referring to Supreme Court Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and other judges' request on creating an amicable situation between lawyers and the police, Karunanidhi alleged there were some forces that were making the lawyers continue their agitation. Earlier in the day, hardening their stand against police in the aftermath of the violence in the Madras High Court premises, lawyers associations in Tamil Nadu resolved to boycott all courts indefinitely and demanded the dismissal of the state and city police chiefs. The lawyers, after a meeting of office-bearers of the Madras High Court Advocates Association, Madras Bar Association, Women's Lawyers Association, Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and other associations here also demanded that the state police in the high court complex be replaced with the central security forces, MHAA sources said. They also sought registration of FIRs against joint commissioner of police (north) M Ramasubramani, who was transferred as DIG, Railways following the Feb 19 clashes, and other sub-ordinate officers responsible for the lathicharge on lawyers during the clashes. The associations in the meeting also demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting high court judge into the incidents. It requested all advocates, including the public prosecutor and the government pleader, not to appear for any police personnel in connection with the clashes.

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