By Reshma Pasupuleti The statements were prompted during a hearing pertaining to a strike of lawyers in Odisha.
New Delhi: In its first comment on the clashes between lawyers and police at Delhi’s Tis Hazari court, the Supreme Court on Friday observed that there were problems from both sides.
As Bar Council of India chairman Manan Mishra complained against alleged police brutality in the November 2 incident, the top court remarked that nobody claps from one hand.
“There were problems from both sides. Nobody claps with one hand,” observed a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph.
The statements were prompted during a hearing pertaining to a strike of lawyers in Odisha. The Supreme Court had taken note of the long standing strike and wanted assistance of the BCI apart from other stakeholders.
Attorney General KK Venugopal was also present during the hearing and it was the law officer who deprecated cessation of work by the lawyers since it affects access to justice.
Venugopal also cited the ongoing strikes in Delhi courts after the violence at Tis Hazari court.
But senior advocates Mishra and Vikas Singh questioned the police action. They submitted police had opened fire at the lawyers and did not conduct them well.
Responding, Justice Kaul said: “It is better if we don’t say anything. Sometimes our silence is good enough. There were problems from both sides. Nobody claps with one hand. We won’t speak much.”
In an apparent snub, the judge added: “This can never be an argument that you acted in a certain way because they acted like that.”