BJP seeks TG Governor's intervention for advocate protection legislation
Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has approached the Governor of Telangana Jishnu Dev Varma with a formal request to direct the state government to introduce legislation protecting advocates.
In a detailed representation, the BJP Legal Cell highlighted a series of recent attacks on advocates, emphasizing the need for legal protection. BJP stated Telangana has around 55,000 advocates, primarily practicing in and around Hyderabad.
The representation cited incidents of violence against advocates, including the 2021 murder of advocates Gattu Vaman Rao and his wife after questioning political actions in Peddapalli, the 2022 murder of Malla Reddy, an advocate from Mulugu district, stabbing of advocate Kalyan Vanshikar during a morning walk in the heart of the city on November 12, 2024, and reported police alleged misconduct towards an advocate couple at Jangaon Police Station in 2024.
The BJP Legal Cell, led by N Ramchander Rao, Ex MLC and senior Advocate, stated that despite these incidents, neither the previous nor current government has taken action. They stated that this inaction has created a fear atmosphere within the advocate community.
The representation stated that advocates serve as officers of the court, protecting citizens' legal rights and functioning as social engineers. They highlighted instances of police misconduct, including manhandling of lawyers and use of third-degree treatment.
BJP legal cell urges Telangana to follow Delhi, Karnataka on Advocate safety laws
Noting that Delhi, Rajasthan, and Karnataka have implemented advocate protection laws, the BJP Legal Cell urged the introduction of similar legislation in Telangana's upcoming Winter Assembly Session.
The key demands include legal protection for advocates, severe punishment for attacks on advocates and preventive measures against physical assaults. The representation seeks the Governor's immediate intervention and direction to the state government to address these concerns.