HC bench: Scuffle between lawyers, police over Finance Minister’s visit

Sambalpur: A scuffle ensued between lawyers and police personnel at Church Chhak in Odisha’s Sambalpur when the police tried to stop the black flag rally of the lawyers against Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera.

The lawyers were demanding for establishment of permanent Orissa High Court bench in western Odisha.

Lawyers under the banner of Sambalpur Lawyers Association took out a rally from Court chhak protesting Finance Minister Sashi Bhushan Behera’s visit to the Gangadhar Meher University on occasion of 74th Foundation Day.

Earlier at the general body meeting, the lawyers’ association had decided to oppose all ministers of state and Centre and Chief Minister’s visit to the Sambalpur due to their apathetic attitude towards establishment of a high Court bench.

“We are protesting against the visit of the Finance Minister to GM University. As per our resolution in the meeting, we will protest the visit of any minister from Centre and state to Western Odisha until our demand to set up a permanent bench of Orissa High Court is met,” said an agitating lawyer.

As per the decision, the lawyers took out a black flag rally to oppose the Finance Minister. Police waylaid them at Church chhak and took over 150 advocates into preventive custody.

Meanwhile, the GM University Campus has turned into a virtual fortress with deployment of adequate police forces to ensure a smooth foundation day celebration.