Mangaluru: High drama unfolded at the Mangaluru District Court premises on Thursday as police detained lawyers who were preparing to march towards the venue of the Karnataka Cabinet meeting, protesting the continued installation of mobile phone jammers around the Mangaluru District Prison.
The protest was led by Mangaluru Bar Association president and advocate Jagadish Shenava. The lawyers said the issue of mobile phone jammers around the prison had remained unresolved despite repeated representations and concerns.
The proposed march was intended to draw the attention of the state government to the difficulties allegedly caused by the jammers. The lawyers had announced plans to gherao the Cabinet meeting venue in Mangaluru, where the state government was holding its first Cabinet meeting in the city.
Lawyers plan march to Cabinet venue
According to the protesting advocates, a team of around 300 lawyers was expected to march from the District Court premises towards the venue of the Cabinet meeting.
The demonstration was organised to press for action on the continuing issue surrounding mobile phone jammers installed around the District Prison. The prison is located close to the Mangaluru District Court, making the issue particularly relevant to lawyers who regularly visit the court premises.
The advocates maintained that their concerns had been raised repeatedly but that no satisfactory resolution had been reached. They decided to use the presence of the state Cabinet in Mangaluru as an opportunity to directly highlight the matter before the government.
The planned march attracted the attention of the police, who deployed security personnel at the court premises and along the proposed route.
Police detain protesting advocates
As the lawyers attempted to proceed with the protest, police detained them at the court premises.
The detention prevented the advocates from proceeding with their planned march towards the Cabinet meeting venue. The incident led to heightened activity around the District Court as police personnel moved to contain the demonstration.
The police action came amid heightened security arrangements in Mangaluru because of the Cabinet meeting, which brought the chief minister and several state ministers to the city.
The protesting lawyers, however, maintained that they intended to continue raising the issue and draw the government’s attention to their concerns.
Dispute over mobile phone jammers
At the centre of the protest is the continued operation of mobile phone jammers around the Mangaluru District Prison.
The advocates alleged that the jammers were creating difficulties and said the matter had been brought to the attention of the authorities on several occasions. They argued that the issue required government intervention and a permanent solution.
The District Prison’s proximity to the District Court has added to the concerns expressed by the lawyers. Advocates regularly visit the court premises for hearings and other legal proceedings, and the protesting association has sought action over the effects they attribute to the jamming equipment.
The lawyers decided to intensify their protest by announcing a march to the Cabinet meeting, rather than limiting their demonstration to the court premises.
Shenava says lawyers will not back down
Mangaluru Bar Association president Jagadish Shenava had announced that around 300 advocates would participate in the march.
The protesting lawyers also stated that they would proceed with their agitation despite the deployment of security forces. They said they would not back down even if the Rapid Action Force was deployed or force was used to stop the march.
The statements came as security arrangements were strengthened around the Cabinet meeting venue and other important locations in the city.
The proposed gherao was aimed at securing the government’s attention to the lawyers’ concerns regarding the prison jammers.
Cabinet meeting adds to security arrangements
The protest coincided with the Karnataka Cabinet meeting being held in Mangaluru on Thursday. The meeting is significant as it is the first state Cabinet meeting to be conducted in the coastal city.
With the chief minister and Cabinet ministers attending the meeting, extensive security arrangements were put in place around the venue and along routes used by the ministers.
The presence of protesters seeking to march towards the meeting venue presented an additional security challenge for the police. The detention of the lawyers was carried out as they attempted to leave the court premises and proceed with their planned demonstration.
The development comes alongside other protests and public representations in Mangaluru on the day of the Cabinet meeting, with various groups seeking the government’s attention to local and regional issues.
Further action awaited
The detention of the advocates has brought the dispute over the prison jammers into sharper focus. The lawyers have maintained that repeated concerns have not resulted in a resolution and have indicated that they intend to continue their demand.
It remains to be seen what steps the state government and prison authorities will take in response to the concerns raised by the Mangaluru Bar Association.
For now, the police detention prevented the proposed march from proceeding from the District Court towards the Cabinet meeting venue, while the lawyers continued to press for action on the mobile phone jammer issue.