Delhi High Court today rapped two lawyers facing contempt proceedings for allegedly abusing and manhandling some people from the Northeast, including a lady advocate, warning them they could even lose their licence.
It also directed the lawyers to apologise to the victims and actively spread the message that people from the Northeast were part of the Indian society.
The High Court also expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of implementation of various directions issued by it to ensure security of people from Northeast states in Delhi, saying everything seemed to be happening "only on paper and not implemented in reality."
"If we take this (contempt plea) to the logical end, then your licence goes," the court said, adding "you should apologise to the sufferer and tell others not to behave badly with people coming from Northeast".
"You (two advocate) should lead a campaign in this regard and spread message to the society and among the legal community that these people are also part of our society," a bench of justices G S Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said during the hearing of contemnor lawyers Azad Chandra Prakash Gautam and Varun Jain.
"A person belonging from Northeast are not aliens. This kind of issue (racial attacks) need to be brought to an end, otherwise things in future will turn worse," the bench said.
The court also issued notice to President and Secretary of Delhi High Court Bar Association and six Bar Associations of the Delhi District courts, after senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the victim, requested that their views be also taken on such cases of attacks against Northeastern people, including lawyers.
The court asked the Presidents and Secretaries of Delhi High Court Bar Association and six district bar associations to be personally present in the court on February 25.
The court, which has taken suo motu cognisance of the death of 19-year-old student Nido Tania and is hearing a contempt plea filed by two women advocate against the attacker, also said "no one in the society should feel unsafe, as you (the lawyer) are the protectors and known to be highly educated community which has a uniform like our soldiers, who protect people from danger.
