AMBA protests advocate's stand on Manipur crisis
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 14 2024: Reacting against inappropriate remarks made by a senior advocate, which, it likened to instigating violence in the state amid the humanitarian crisis, All Manipur Bar Association (AMBA) staged a sit-in protest near Cheirap Court Complex, Uripok, here, on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, AMBA president Puyam Tomcha Meetei reasoned that the sit-in to denounce statement by senior advocate Colin Gonsalves at the International Women's Day 2024 observance held at Constitution Club of India, New Delhi recently.

He said that despite Colin Gonsalves' notable interest in issues of Manipur and his contributions to cases in the Supreme Court on fake encounters, it is regrettable that he recently made remark about widespread rape, molestation, and killings of women during the current crisis in Manipur.

Additionally, his claim that the Manipur High Court is non-functional and should be abolished undermines the court's authority.

Apart from the fact that such comment from a senior advocate was inappropriate, it has the potential to exacerbate the crisis and incite communal enmity.

Following the protest, relevant authorities will be informed and urged to intervene so as to prevent further inflammatory statements from the senior advocate, Tomcha added.

In his speech on International Women's Day 2024, Colin Gonsalves had raised critical concerns about the efficacy of the High Court in Imphal.

He suggested that closing the court might be a better option if it fails to uphold the Constitution, particularly Article 21, which guarantees the Right to Life.

Gonsalves questioned how the court could uphold the said right when houses were being burned just 1 to 2 kilometres away from its premises.

He had also expressed frustration over the court's perceived ineffectiveness, questioning whether it serves any real purpose other than to display a facade of justice.

Gonsalves also alleged lack of compassion and action by the judiciary, noting that no judges have addressed the recent violence by demanding answers from the Director General of Police regarding the killings and the steps taken in response.

In his 30 years of legal practice, Gonsalves mentioned, he had never witnessed such a failure in the justice delivery system, with Manipur serving as a prominent example of this systemic breakdown.

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