New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: The 11-hour-long protest by police personnel at the Delhi Police Headquarters ended after several top-level officials assured them of all them and that their demands would be fulfilled.
The strike was called off after the protesting personnel were told that that their concerns will be addressed and an investigation will be carried out into the alleged incidents of violence against their colleagues.
Thousands of police personnel protested outside the Police Headquarters on Tuesday demanding action against those involved in an attack on their colleague outside the Saket court. Meanwhile, the family members of the police personnel approached the India Gate holding candles in solidarity.
The protesting officers submitted a list of 10 demands, which include the creation of a Police Protection Act. Police personnel from Bihar, Haryana and several other states also extended their support to the protest called by Delhi Police personnel.
Also Read | Tis Hazari Violence: Protest called off after 11 hours of high drama | As it happened
The protests were triggered by two attacks on their colleagues, one on Monday and another on Saturday after a parking dispute between an on-duty policeman and a lawyer which led to at least 20 security personnel and several advocates being injured.
Two FIRs were registered against a lawyer, who was seen in a video hitting a uniformed policeman on a motorcycle with his elbow and slapping him outside the Saket District Court.
Assurance From Seniors
Addressing the protesters, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Satish Golcha urged them to end stir and resume duty, while assuring them that a review petition will be filed against the Delhi High Court order in connection with a clash between cops and lawyers at the Tis Hazari Courts Complex. The senior officer said the injured policemen will get an ex-gratia of at least Rs 25,000.
Earlier, Joint Commissioner of Police Rajesh Khurana urged the cops to continue with the work. “We are the one who enforce the law and we have to continue with our work,” he asked the protesting policemen outside Delhi Police Headquarters, while further assuring them that "all their demands will be fulfilled".
Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik came out of his office to assure them that their concerns will be addressed.
"We have to behave like a disciplined force. The government and the people expect us to uphold the law, it is our big responsibility. I urge you to resume duty," Patnaik told the police personnel.
"The last few days have been testing for us. A judicial enquiry is underway and I request you to have faith in the process," he told the gathering.
Even after Patnaik addressed the protesters, they refused to disperse and demanded that an association be formed for them. According to media reports, Patnaik was heckled and booed by his officers when he came to defuse the situation and persuade them to return to their posts.
Review Petition Against Delhi HC Order
Golcha assured the protesting police personnel that a review petition will be filed against Delhi HC order that no coercive action would be taken against any lawyer on the basis of FIRs lodged with regard to the November 2 incident.
Earlier in the day, the Centre rushed to the Delhi High Court urging it that its order for no coercive action against advocates, passed on Sunday following the lawyers-police clash at Tis Hazari Courts Complex, should not be applicable on the subsequent incidents.
The central government, represented by Additional Solictor General Maninder Acharya, has sought a clarification from the court that "the order dated November 3, 2019 is no impediment in taking any action in accordance with law to maintain law and order".
The bench said the matter would be heard in detail on Wednesday.
Centre 'Unhappy' Over Protests
However, the Centre seems to be unhappy over the manner in which the protest was held by Delhi Police personnel in violation of service conduct even though it is sympathetic to their grievances, PTI quoted officials as saying.
The view emerging in the central government in the wake of police protests after the lawyers-police clash is that the Delhi Police leadership failed to live up to the occasion to control the situation, leading to adverse public perception, they said, adding a shakeup in the top brass of the force is expected soon.
Since the police comes under essential services, the duty of such personnel is to render their service irrespective of the conditions. Police protect the law and hence they have the bigger onus, the official said, referring to similar protests staged in Uttar Pradesh by police in 1973, which were eventually curbed.
There is a possibility of taking action against those who violated the law and rules on both sides -- lawyers and policemen, the official said.
District Court Lawyers to Continue Boycott of Work on Wednesday
Notwithstanding a Bar Council of India appeal to end their strike, the chairman of coordination committee of All Bar Associations in Delhi said that lawyers would continue to boycott work on Wednesday.
"Abstinence from work in all Delhi district courts will continue tomorrow. In order to ensure success of the movement, all are requested to maintain the movement peacefully. Litigants be permitted to have access to the court rooms," said Dhir Singh Kasana, secretary of general coordination committee, All district courts bar association.
LG Anil Baijal Reviews Situation
Lt Governor Anil Baijal reviewed the sitiuation and said it was imperative to ensure justice is done impartially in the matter. The LG observed that advocates and police are important pillars of the criminal justice system and they should work in complete harmony, said a statement issued by the LG office.
"In the wake of the recent unfortunate incident, it is imperative to restore the trust between the two and also to ensure that justice is done impartially in the entire matter," the statement quoted Baijal as saying.
He also advised the senior officers to assure the police personnel that no injustice will be allowed to be done to any member of the force, it stated. The LG also appealed to all concerned to maintain harmony and law and order.
Baijal directed Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to ensure that the police officers injured are provided best medical treatment free of cost and advised that senior officers should visit the injured policemen to boost their morale and comfort their families.
BCI Calls For Action Against Guilty Lawyers
The Bar Council of India has asked various bar bodies to identify lawyers "indulging in hooliganism" and requested advocates to end their protests, which are "bringing bad name to the institution".
BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said in a letter that sparing such "rowdy elements" is tarnishing the image of the institution and it is the inaction and tolerance of bar bodies that encourage these advocates, which would ultimately result in "contempt proceedings by the high courts or Supreme Court".
"The incidents of beating policemen on bike by some of Saket lawyers, assault of an auto driver, manhandling general public are most unfortunate and Bar Council of India is not going to tolerate it. These are acts of grave misconduct," the letter said.
Opposition Corners Centre, Questions Amit Shah's Silence
Police protesting on roads in Delhi is a "new low" for India since Independence and shows Home Minister Amit Shah's "failure of leadership", the Congress said on Tuesday, alleging law and order has collapsed in the national capital.
Congress, which supported the police protest, questioned the silence from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Calling it a failure of the BJP and Amit Shah, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, ""Delhi police personnel are demanding justice, have been protesting for 10 hours, so are their relatives. Where is Amit Shah? Why isn't he finding a solution to this?"
"Delhi Police is not controlled by Lt. Governor of Delhi. Home Minister, Sh. Amit Shah is directly incharge of Delhi Police. Why is H.M ‘missing in action’? Why is he not coming forward to restore law & order and address the concerns? Why is HM in hibernation?" read his another tweet.
Support From Senior Police Officials
The incidents drew sharp criticism from senior police officials who took to Twitter to register their discontent.
"I am sorry.. we are police ... we don't exist.. we don't have families...we don't have human rights!!!" said former Delhi Police PRO Madhur Verma, currently posted as Arunachal Pradesh's Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
The IPS Association also condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with colleagues subjected to "humiliation" and "assault".
"Incident involving police & lawyers unfortunate. All should take a balanced view of it based on facts in public domain. Countrywide, police stands in solidarity with those police personnel subjected to physical assault & humiliation. Condemn all attempts to break law, by anyone!," the association tweeted from its official handle.
Former chief spokesperson of Delhi Police, Deependra Pathak, said, "Lumpen elements in the garb of Black Coat are on total rampage endangering social orderliness in Delhi. Fear of law need to be instilled among these mischief mongers.@DelhiPolice need to interpose pending Police-Lawyer clash cases".
Recalling 1988 Police-Lawyer Clashes
As thousands of cops shouted, "Humara Commissioner (of Police) kaisa ho, Kiran Bedi jaisa ho" while demanding action against lawyers involved in attack on their colleagues, their protest on Tuesday was reminiscent of the 1988 police-lawyer clash at Tis Hazari Courts Complex when the then 'super cop' of Delhi had invited the ire of advocates.
It was in January 1988 when Delhi Police arrested an advocate named Rajesh Agnihotri, after he was apprehended by the students of St Stephen's College for allegedly stealing from a ladies common room.
When the advocate was produced before Tis Hazari Court on January 16 that year with his hands cuffed, lawyers started protesting saying it is illegal.
The Metropolitan Magistrate discharged the lawyer the same day and also directed the Commissioner of Police to take action against the guilty police officials.
The lawyers went on strike from January 18 in support of their demand for action against the police officials.
Bedi, the first woman IPS officer, on January 20 made a statement at a press conference justifying the police action and criticising the order of the Magistrate in discharging the alleged "thief".
The next day when a group of lawyers sought to meet Bedi to express their concern at her office, located in the same Tis Hazari Courts Complex, a lathi-charge was ordered on them in which several lawyers were injured.
For the next two months, the lawyers stopped courts from functioning in Delhi and neighbouring states, demanding Bedi's resignation.
(With PTI inputs)