07.05.2019: Under the leadership of a Joint action committee constituted by the multiple Bar Associations across the State of West Bengal, on Thursday, more than 5000 lawyers assembled in front of the West Bengal Bar Council and organized a Maha Michhil [Protest rally] through the Strand Road- Dharmatala Crossing and ended in front of Rajbhaban.
More than 5000 lawyers took part in the protest rally and a delegation of lawyers met with the West Bengal Governor Sree Keshari Nath Tripathi. The lawyers’ delegation handed over a memorandum to the governor to take necessary steps pertain to the 24th April 2019 Howrah Court violence. On listening to the whole facts, the governor expressed his anguish that till the Government machinery sitting tight on the matter. He assured the members of the Bar through the delegates that he shall communicate his concern to the Government for taking necessary action. He also inquired about the PIL pending before the Hon`ble Calcutta High Court. Delegates presented the Governor a realistic picture of police violence of dated 24.04.2019.
On 24.04.2019 at 10.45 AM, an abrupt tassel started between the temporary workers attached with the Howrah Municipal Corporation and a group of advocates practice in the Howrah District Court on a bike parking issue. Allegation and counter allegations had been leveled between the two groups. Then suddenly the HMC workers started stone pelting towards the lawyer from the side of HMC. They even entered into the Court premises and vandalized few Serestas. For protesting, the lawyers gathered in front of the HMC gate. Brick batting had been continued for times and several lawyers including lady advocated get injured.
Police rushed to the spot and closed the HMC gate. The lawyers demanded immediate arrest of the perpetrators. Later, in around 11.45 IPS Bhabna Gupta along with a big contingent of RAF came to the spot and ordered for lathi charge. Things started to settle for a while and lawyers started a peaceful protest in front of HMC, but the things deteriorated when they found that the accused persons were packed in an Ambulance and removed by the police without arresting them. Then suddenly police started to lathi charge and firing tear gas to disperse the mob. Agitating lawyers took shelter inside the Court Building but police while lathi charging entered into the Civil Court Complex and fired two round tear gas cell. Commissioner of police came around 6 o’ clock to meet with the District Judge on call, but he never answered that who gave permission to police to enter into the Court Building. Around 9.00PM the injured and scared lawyers came out of the Howrah Court premises.
On the next day, the Calcutta High Court filed a suo motu Writ petition against the Respondents. Till today no action has been taken against either the HMC workers or the errant police officers. Police minister Smt. Mamata Banerjee failed to issue any statement on this pathetic issue, apart from the state minister Arup Roy on 25th April issued an insulting VDO statement that some left affiliated lawyers created the ruckus in the HMC-Howrah Court premises. In the meantime, multiple VDO footages came up in social media only to tell the true story and police excess.
Lawyers decided not to attend Court till the errant police officers sacked form the service.
