Sanjeev Kumar Pradhan

Cuttack: A day after the BJD legal front withdrew its support from the ongoing Orissa High Court Bar Association's strike over police excess on a lawyer On August 28, the association today alleged that the state government has intentionally tried to create rift in the association to suppress the agitation.

The Orissa High Court bar association, which was gearing up to intensify its agitation has received a huge set back after BJD legal front withdrew its support from the strike.

"They joined the strike just to increase their image and reputation. But when they realised that the lawyers took it seriously as a mark of self-respect, they decided to withdraw from the agitation," said member of State Bar Council, Chinmaya Mohanty.

Likewise yesterday the lawyers today also staged dharna and shouted slogans against BJD's legal front in the court premises.

Protesting the BJD legal cell's decision, the HC Bar Association members took to streets and burnt the effigy of CM Naveen along with effigies of some members of the ruling party's legal cell.

On the other hand legal front of BJD has said that law will take its own course of action and there is no need of the agitation.

"There is no justification for the agitation as the case is in the court. Earlier we had extended the support towards the agitation but later we realised that it has strayed away from the main purpose," advisor of BJD Legal front, Asim Amitabh Das said.

However senior advocates opined that steps should have been taken to resolve the issue by putting pressure on the government rather than taking such a decision.

Meanwhile, as the court proceedings continue to be out of gear since last two months, the Orissa High Court has directed to set up special camp courts in jails from tomorrow to meet the unexpected situation across the State arising out of prolonged abstinence of work by advocates.

Earlier on Saturday, the Orissa High Court in a letter instructed the District & Sessions Judges to hold camp courts for hearing bail pleas of accused in custody to address over-crowding of various jails across the state due to lawyers’ stir.

The Bar Council of India has also sought intervention of Supreme Court and urged the State Government to resolve the deadlock which has been going on since past two months.

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