Lawyers rally as police 'manhandling' sparks outrage: A fight for the Constitution begins again.

Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran on Tuesday (October 12) reaffirmed the responsibility of lawyers to defend constitutional principles as members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) gathered at the Media Park to express solidarity with lawyers and citizens who allegedly faced police brutality during the October 10 protest in Delhi. "We have all gathered here today to show our solidarity with our colleagues and with the citizens of the country who have been brutalised for staging a peaceful protest," Ramachandran told the media. He said the gathering was intended to renew the legal community's commitment to constitutional values, adding that lawyers had a responsibility to protect the Constitution. "We are here to reaffirm our faith in constitutional values and rededicate ourselves to the Constitution. It is the duty of every lawyer to fight for and uphold the Constitution. Today, we resolve once again to fight for the Constitution, which is the primary duty of a lawyer," he said. Members of the two Supreme Court bar associations assembled at the Media Park to stand with colleagues who reportedly experienced mistreatment at the hands of the police during the protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Those gathered observed a minute of silence at 1.15 pm on Tuesday. SCBA called for white ribbons, minute of silence The gathering followed an appeal by the SCBA asking advocates to wear white ribbons on Tuesday as a gesture of solidarity with lawyers who were allegedly manhandled and mistreated by the police during the demonstrations. In a circular dated October 12 and signed by Honorary Secretary Pragya Baghel, the association said a majority of its executive committee members had decided on the measure in view of a resolution adopted on October 10. The SCBA also requested advocates and other members of the Bar to assemble before the Mahatma Gandhi statue at 1.15 pm to observe a minute of silence in solidarity with their colleagues. On Saturday, the association had condemned what it described as the reported use of "excessive force" against lawyers travelling to Jantar Mantar to participate in a protest organised by Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP). It had also urged the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to intervene urgently. The demonstrations in Delhi sought Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise. Allegations of police excesses and detention of protesters have since prompted expressions of solidarity from legal professionals and other groups. Harvard-affiliated group condemns police action Separately, 100 alumni, students, faculty members and staff affiliated with Harvard University issued a statement dated October 12 condemning alleged police brutality, unlawful detention and violations of the constitutional rights of peaceful protesters during the October 10 demonstrations. The signatories expressed solidarity with Senior Advocate Shadan Farasat, a 2009 Harvard Law School alumnus, and Mehr Pasricha, policy head of CJP and a 2025 graduate of Harvard Kennedy School. According to the statement, Farasat was detained and manhandled by the Delhi Police while attempting to prevent the alleged illegal detention of a peaceful protester. The signatories also alleged that Pasricha was detained for 13 hours despite not being at a protest site. They said she had been having breakfast at Laxmi Nagar Market when she was taken into custody and was not provided paperwork or informed of the grounds for her detention during that period. "If lawyers are prevented from providing legal aid, then the entire system of law and order breaks down," the statement said. The signatories described the police and paramilitary deployment in Delhi as an "unprecedented siege of Delhi by police and paramilitary forces" and criticised what they characterised as arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional action against peaceful demonstrators. They called on the government and law enforcement agencies to stop violations of constitutional rights, respect the right to peaceful protest and access to legal assistance, and ensure accountability for those responsible for abuses in accordance with the rule of law. The signatories represented individuals affiliated with several Harvard schools, including Harvard Law School, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School and Harvard Graduate School of Education. SCAORA opposes calls for CJI's resignation Meanwhile, SCAORA issued a separate resolution on October 12 expressing strong disapproval of public statements demanding the resignation of the Chief Justice of India. In the resolution, the association said the judiciary was a constitutional institution responsible for upholding the rule of law and safeguarding citizens' rights. It stated that grievances relating to the functioning of the judiciary should be pursued through appropriate legal and constitutional mechanisms. According to SCAORA, public demands for the resignation of the head of the judiciary risk undermining the dignity of the office and public confidence in the institution. "SCAORA urges all concerned to respect the independence of the judiciary and maintain the dignity and decorum of the Supreme Court of India," the resolution said. It added that judicial proceedings should be permitted to continue independently, without pressure or interference. The resolution was signed by SCAORA Honorary Secretary Yugandhara Pawar Jha.