Edited By: Pathikrit Sen Gupta
Last Updated: January 10, 2023, 00:06 IST
The posters called him a ‘disgrace to the judiciary’. Pic/News18
Several posters attacking Justice Rajasekhar Mantha for allegedly acting in a biased manner in favour of BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari were put up on the walls of the judge’s residence and adjacent places in Kolkata
Protests and posters against a Calcutta High Court judge have rocked West Bengal, with political adversaries Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party locking horns over the issue.
Justice Rajasekhar Mantha had to leave the court on Monday after a section of lawyers held a demonstration against him.
Several posters attacking Justice Mantha for allegedly acting in a biased manner in favour of BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari were also put up on the walls of the judge’s residence and adjacent places at Jodhpur Park in south Kolkata. The posters called him a “disgrace to the judiciary”.
Some lawyers have also written to the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, who is the “master of roster”, complaining about Justice Mantha.
A war of words has also started between the BJP and the TMC over the issue.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s West Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya tweeted on the row, targeting the state’s ruling party.
TMC wants a committed judiciary. Posters targeting Justice Rajshekhar Mantha plastered all over Kolkata HC. Lawyers aligned to the TMC blocked his Court.CJ had to intervene. Sought CCTV footage for Court # 13. Meeting of Judges in progress to discuss the assault on judiciary… pic.twitter.com/NyZTcjILxH
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) January 9, 2023
TMC leader Biswajit Deb rubbished the charge. “We have the highest regard for the judiciary. We don’t know who has put up these posters. But I have only one point to raise: why is one bench providing protection to leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari? Whatever happened in the court on Monday may be a reaction to that. I had been advocate general for a state for more than 10 years. I have never seen such things,” he said.
TMC leaders say that Justice Mantha stayed 26 FIRs against Suvendu Adhikari and also directed the police not to register any further FIRs without the permission of the court.
The BJP leader’s lawyer had said in court that the 26 FIRs were filed against the leader of opposition in the assembly in a bid to stop him from functioning as a public representative.
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