Will resign rather than succumb to pressure: Bukhari
The Law ministry is under tremendous pressure from saffron parties to reinstate the law officers, who were sacked for failing to defend the government’s stand on beef ban issue in the High Court.According to a local news agency KNS, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari, whose department disengaged two law officers after beef ban issue snowballed into major controversy, is being pressurized by both BJP and RSS to reinstate the services of these lawyers.
On September 9, High Court directed police to ensure strict ban on sale and consumption of beef in the state. The direction was passed in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Deputy Advocate General (DAG) and BJP leader Parimoksh Seth seeking slaughter or killing of bovine animals an offence punishable under Section 298-A and possession of such slaughtered animal an act punishable under Section 298-B of the RPC.
Additional Advocate General Vishal Sharma, who appeared as counsel for the State, failed to defend government in the case.
The court verdict stoked passions in Kashmir with people terming the ban on the beef as a direct interference in their religious affairs.
The government on September 22 sacked both Seth and Sharma.
The decision of lawyers sacking by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry led by Basharat Bukhari has not gone down well with BJP and RSS.
Sources said both BJP and RSS have conveyed their resentment over sacking of Seth and Sharma. “Both BJP and RSS are pressurizing Law Minister to reinstate the sacked AAG and DAG”.
When contacted, Law Minister Basharat Bukhari said he will prefer to resign than succumbing to any pressure on the issue of reinstating the services of two sacked lawyers.
“I will not succumb to pressure. Rather I will prefer to resign,” he said. (KNS)
