1. Ordinary lawyers hailing from humble
background, sons and daughters of farmers, small time traders, taxi drivers,
teachers etc., who constitute to be 90% of the legal fraternity, for equal
treatment in Court Rooms, which is an implicit mandate of Article 14 of the
Constitution of India, namely, equality before law and equal protection of law;
so too the very ethos of the preamble to the Constitution which finds the
words “Equality of status and of opportunity” engraved therein.
2. Mahatma Gandhi, the great soul who fought against apartheid in
South Africa and demanded equal treatment of all human beings is the
everlasting light and guidance; so too the legendary Justice Krishna Iyer,
in our campaign for just, fair and equal treatment of all lawyers, nay, the
litigants, as well, in the Temples of Justice. While Mahatma Gandhi
advocated that a language of protest should most non-violent, non-hurting,
the great apostle of peace, Jesus Christ, we believe, minced no words. The
words of Jesus Christ “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own
eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's
eye” too is an inspiration in drawing up this letter. The language, therefore,
we employ is of utmost respect and non-violent, but at the same time should
in unmistakable terms carry the message, as well.
3. The system of designation of lawyers as seniors and juniors and
the manifestation thereof in their dress code has literally created a system of
apartheid of two classes of lawyers, an upper caste and a lower caste – the
designated royal class and the non-designated untouchables. There is a
simmering anger, protest, against this among the untouchable class of
lawyers who constitute to be 90% of the legal fraternity. If their demand for
equal treatment and their feelings and emotions are not taken care of and if
they are suppressed and not allowed to open their mouth, then the simmering
anger will turn out to be a tempest. We are reminded the words of legendary
Justice Krishna Iyer, ''One day the people of this country will rise and say that
we don't want this magnificent red stone edifice on the Curzon Road (now
Bhagwan Das Road) because it is seen to be counterproductive and in turn
the High Courts".
4. We part with in the unstinted belief that the Hon'ble Chief Justice
of India, the Hon'ble Judges of the Supreme Court and the senior lawyers,
whom all we respect, nay, literally worship for their erudition, knowledge and
eminence, will take this letter in its right spirit and if we have violated
Mahatma Gandhi’s command of employing the most respectful, dignified and
non-violent language, we may be condoned, and, at the same time, come
forward to bring an end to the caste system, nay, the apartheid, among
lawyers.
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