New Delhi: The role of Delhi Police in managing the students’ protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20 is coming under intense and increasing scrutiny.
A day after resident doctors of AIIMS Delhi and Safdarjung Hospital wrote separately to President Droupadi Murmu expressing concern over Sonam Wangchuk’s hospitalisation and alleged police action against protesters at Jantar Mantar, a group of lawyers have expressed their concern.
Over 650 lawyers, including several senior advocates, issued a statement condemning alleged use of force by police against student protesters. They said police action was an attack on constitutional values of free expression and right to dissent, reported Live Law.
Those who signed the statement include senior advocates Indira Jaising, Raju Ramachandran, Chander Uday Singh, Sanjay Hegde, Prashant Bhushan, Vrinda Grover, Huzefa Ahmadi, Rebecca M John, Nandita Rao, Sanjay Parikh, Anjana Prakash, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Gopal Subramanium, Jayant Bhushan, Shadan Farasat, Warisha Farasat, Navin R. Nath, Sumita Hazarika, Sanjay Ghose, Sidharth Luthra, Anand Grover, Amit Anand Tiwari, PV Dinesh, Manali Singhal.
Expressing solidarity with the protesters, they called for accountability if there was any excessive use of force.
“We, the undersigned lawyers, condemn the use of violence by Delhi Police against peaceful youth protestors at Jantar Mantar on 20th July 2026,” the statement said.
According to the lawyers, the incident as “unacceptable” as students were met with violence instead of dialogue.
“Police brutality against protesting students is an attack on the principles of free expression, human dignity, and the right to dissent,” they pointed out.
The lawyers said they stood in solidarity with all those who had been “harmed, intimidated and traumatised”.
As students are the “future of our country”, the demands raised by them should have been met with respect.
“The Parliament of India is not an ivory tower that should be beyond the reach of its citizens,” the lawyers stated.
“We hope that the Government and Constitutional Institutions will step in to ensure the safety of peaceful protesters,” the lawyers said.
SC Bar Association president writes to PM, Home Ministry
Even Vikas Singh, senior advocate and president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), wrote to the Prime Minister’s Office and Union Home Ministry raising the matter of disproportionate force by police during the recent march to Parliament protests.
Singh highlighted incidents of police assaulting advocates who were participating in the demonstration peacefully, including a case where advocate Sanjay Hegde’s son was beaten, Live Law reported. He also cited news reports of cases where force was used against minors and women, use of tear gas and riot force, and obstruction of journalists in recording violations, etc.
In his letter, Singh sought a judicial inquiry into police excesses, and immediate action against police officials who used force unprovoked.
