Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 1: J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu today expelled Advocate Devinder Singh Behal, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his links with separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, from its primary membership.
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“As soon as we came to know about his (Behal) activities, we verified our records and immediately decided to expel him without any notice from the primary membership of the Association,” Bar President B S Slathia told media-persons here.
“He is a blot on the legal fraternity and has tarnished the image of the nationalist legal fraternity. The Association has no other option but to expel him from the primary membership”, he said, adding “the Bar Association has no space whatsoever for anyone who is even remotely associated with those involved in anti-national/hate and break- India activities”.
Slathia said, “it’s shocking that Devinder Singh Behal has let down the Association by hobnobbing and flirting with anti-national/pro-Pakistan elements”, adding “we had never imagined that any of Association’s members would ever associate himself with the break India activities aimed at driving Jammu and Kashmir State away from India and working for the third communal partition of the country”.
He said that Association will see to it that none of its members dares to indulge in any activity that is fatal to the paramount national interests and urged the members of the legal fraternity to join hands to fight for the national cause as well as for the cause of the neglected nationalist people of the State.
The Bar President urged the DGP to intervene in the matter relating to false implication of a local lawyer from Samba at the behest of certain influential persons close to the corridors of power and ensure free and fair investigation in the matter.
The Bar President along with Vice President Sachin Gupta appealed to the people of Jammu that such kind of elements should be identified and the requisite information be given to the agencies so that the persons like Devinder Singh Behl are not in a position to escape from the clutches of law of the land.
Responding to a question, General Secretary of the Bar Associatin, Prem Sadhotra disagreed with the statement that in case of any tinkering with Article 35-A or Article 370 of the Constitution of India there shall be no person in the State to hold the Indian Flag. “Baring few, majority of people in the State are nationalists and believe in holding the National Flag notwithstanding Article 370 and Article 35-A find place in Constitution of India or not”, he added.
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