Advocates launch relay hunger strike
Wanaparthy: The Wanaparthy Bar Association launched a relay hunger strike at the District Court premises on Tuesday, demanding the enactment of the Advocates’ Protection Act to curb attacks on members of the legal fraternity.
Speaking at the protest camp, Bar Association President D. Kiran Kumar said the agitation would be intensified until the Act is implemented. He urged the government to respond promptly to what he described as a legitimate and long-pending demand of advocates across the State.
Kiran Kumar recalled that advocates had earlier undertaken a padayatra from the Jogulamba Temple in Alampur, which was halted at Bhoothpur due to unavoidable reasons. He said the march resumed on the 23rd of this month from Bhoothpur under the call of “Chalo Secretariat.” In solidarity with the advocates participating in the padayatra, the Wanaparthy Bar Association has organised relay hunger strikes that will continue until the 27th.
Expressing concern over recurring attacks on lawyers, he said the proposed Advocates’ Protection Act would not create any difficulty for either the Central or State governments. However, he alleged that the government has not taken concrete steps toward its enactment.
He appealed to the government to introduce and pass the Advocates’ Protection Act in the forthcoming Assembly sessions. Failing this, he warned that advocates across the State would continue peaceful and united protests until the legislation is achieved.
On the first day of the relay hunger strike, Bar Association President D. Kiran Kumar, Secretary Venkataramana, and advocates Brahmam, Ashok Rao, Dhara Venkatesh, Shyam, Narendra Babu, Trinath, Raghuvamsi, Rahul, and others participated.
Senior advocates Vanaganti Nageshwar, Mohan Goud, Mohan Kumar, Venkateshwar Reddy, Umamaheshwar Reddy, Tirupatayya Goud, Krishnavardhan Reddy, Chandrasekhar Rao, Manmohan Rao, Shashibhushan, Dinesh Reddy, Tirupatayya, along with women advocates Pushpa Latha, Kalyani, Renuka, Lakshmi, junior advocates, and others, were present.
