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NT Bureau
Chennai, Feb 9:

SAYING IT WITH FLOWERS: There is a hard tale (read below) behind the strewn soft petals inside the High Court premises. Photo: R Thiyagarajan

        High Court judges were taken up by surprise today when their pathway from their chambers to the court halls were filled with flowers and petals. A section of advocates have taken up this novel protest against the remarks of Electricity Minister Arcot Veerasamy who questioned their integrity and interference in executive powers at a public function.

        Originally, the protesting lawyers had decided to organise a 'blood-letting' demonstration in front of the statue of India's first Chief Justice Muthusamy Iyer at the High Court complex. But following the intervention of Chief Justice of Madras High Court A P Shah, this gory incident was averted.

        During a token boycott of courts at the High Court yesterday, a section of agitating lawyers burnt the effigy of Arcot Veerasamy. A policeman who tried to prevent the incident was attacked by a group of advocates. Following this, a case has been filed against four lawyers for attacking a police officer. The protesting lawyers and their association have called for a blood-letting demonstration at the complex today which had raised tension at the court premises.

        However, both visitors and the media were in for a surprise when pathway of all the judges from their chambers to the court rooms were spread with flowers. Feeling amused by the floral decorations at the floors, the judges walked over them to reach their seats at the division benches of the High Court. A pamphlet that flayed the denigrating remarks of the Minister against the judiciary in a lyrical style was also distributed by a section of lawyers.

        Lawyers association led by N Jothi, Manoj Pandian, Inbathurai and N G R Prasad, who owed allegiance to AIADMK, took part in the novel and unexpected form of protest today a the corridors of the High Court.

        Meanwhile, lawyers owing support to DMK, Muthuramalingam and Senthil Kumar have strongly taken objections to these protests in a communication to the Chief Justice A P Shah and Court Registrar respectively.

        The Chief Justice assured them that he had called for discussions with AIADMK affiliated lawyers before taking a decision on this issue. In the complaint petition given to the Registrar, action had been sought to maintain law and order in the court complex which had seen many forms of protests by lawyers against the remarks of the Minister. 'A section of lawyers have been politicising the statements of the Ministers and are into protests and agitations though they were banned within the High Court complex,' the petition said and urged the Registrar to take preventive steps immediately.