New Delhi, June 30 (IANS) The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) International President Alok Kumar on Tuesday criticised the Faizabad Bar Association’s decision to now allow any legal representation to the accused in Ram Temple donation embezzlement controversy, terming the move as “grossly inappropriate” and “in contravention of the basic principles of justice”.

Alok Kumar, speaking to IANS, expressed serious reservations over the lawyer association’s pledge to deprive the accused any legal assistance and said that this violates the constitutional practices and also deals a blow to professional ethics and morality.

“This proposal appears more political to me,” he said in an incisive remark.

Remembering past similar precedents before the Supreme Court, Kumar added that at none of the occasions, the accused have gone unrepresented as this is against legal probity and propriety.

“I recall that in 2011, in a case involving Mohammad Rafi before the Supreme Court, the Coimbatore Bar Association had resolved not to represent a particular accused. The Supreme Court disagreed with that resolution. It referred to Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees every person the right to defend themselves in court. The court had said that any such proposal to deprive the accused his right to seek justice is against the law, against the Constitution and against morality,” the VHP Chief noted.

The VHP President, however, was unsparingly critical of the donation theft and said that he holds “no sympathy” for the wrongdoers.

He said that it was now certain that a theft of offerings has taken place at the temple and demanded that the miscreants face strict punishment for the siphoning off God’s offerings and betraying bhakts’ trust, while describing the incident as ‘deeply painful’.

Following the unravelling of theft incident, the Faizabad Bar Association had announced that no lawyer will represent any of the eight accused in the temple embezzlement case — sparking a debate over legal ethics and rights in high-profile cases like this.

According to the Association, if any lawyer opted to appear on behalf of the accused, he would have to shell as Rs 5 lakh per accused to Association’s fund.

–IANS

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