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NEW DELHI: Two Supreme Court bar bodies on Wednesday condemned the alleged police brutality against students and lawyers during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led July 20 march to Parliament, calling for an impartial inquiry into the “excessive use of force” and demanding accountability from those responsible.The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), headed by its president and senior advocate Vikas Singh, in a resolution, alleged that the police action left several students and members of the legal fraternity, including SCBA members, injured.The resolution, issued by SCBA secretary Pragya Baghel, described the use of force against the protesters as “deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable in a democratic society”.The bar body urged the authorities concerned to conduct an immediate, impartial and time-bound inquiry into the incident, identify those responsible for the alleged excessive use of force, and take appropriate action in accordance with the law.It also called for proper medical treatment and assistance for all injured students and members of the legal fraternity, while urging authorities to take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.“The association stands in solidarity with all those injured and reiterates its commitment to protecting constitutional rights, human dignity and the rule of law,” the resolution added.In a separate statement, the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) expressed deep concern over “reports and visuals showing the use of force by Delhi Police against students and young protesters” who had gathered to peacefully raise concerns over the integrity of public examinations and the future of the country’s youth.SCAORA, in its resolution, maintained that peaceful dissent was not an act of defiance but an exercise of fundamental freedoms guaranteed under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution. It added that while the State has the authority to maintain public order, any restriction on these freedoms must meet the constitutional requirements of legality, necessity and proportionality.The association called for an independent and impartial examination of allegations of excessive force, immediate medical assistance for those injured, and a more restrained, dialogue-based approach while engaging with peaceful protesters.“The strength of our Republic lies not in suppressing dissent but in protecting it within the framework of the Constitution. The true measure of constitutional governance is not how the State responds to agreement, but how it responds to peaceful disagreement,” the resolution added.On Monday, thousands of students demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak issue and alleged irregularities in the examination system attempted to march to Parliament but were stopped by police using tear gas and batons.
