In just 48 hours, the mob clad in black coats inside the Patiala House Courts were charged in full swing to attack not just the ones in solidarity with JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar but anybody who came their way, including the journalists on Wesdnesday.
In the afternoon at around 2pm, the mood inside the judicial complex was so hostile that I felt anything can happen to me and other reporters. By the evening, at around 7pm, when I were to leave from the court complex, I had thought the threat had ended but to my scare another group from the same mob went on ranting and abusing not just me but others too.
As on Monday that was also a chaotic day for me when I couldn’t believe my eyes at the failure of law and order in the national Capital, Wednesday was also a dangerous day. Thankfully, we were protected by police who created a barricade around us unlike on Monday when I was chased by men in black robes.
“Ye sab band karo… media wale yahan se nikal jao warna pit k jaaoge…ab or pitna hai kya tum logon koIJ (Stop this and go out otherwise we will beat you) These were the words used by one lawyer against me and my fellow reporters. They also shouted slogans against the media like, “media ko phasi do” (Hang the media) “Gaddaron Bharat Chhodo” (Traitors leave the country). But one advocate who I meet often in court identified me and took us outside the court. One of the journalists from firstpost.com who came to attend the court proceeding became the scapegoat of the lawyers’ ire.
The “lawyers” were in a mood to attack when police were set to produce Kanahiya in the court. He was slapped and punched by some lawyers. The rioting “lawyers” took up a scuffle with police and thrashed a cop in the court premises. While all of us were witnessing this, police safeguarded us by creating a barricaded zone right in front of the courtroom. I saw men in black coat who tried to climb that barricade but the Delhi Police managed to stop them.
I went inside that barricade and stood till the proceedings went on. At 3.30 pm when the panel formed by the Supreme Court arrived to assist the case, including Kapil Sibbal and other lawyers, the men in black robes shouted, “chor hai chor hai Kapil Sibbal chor hai” (Kapil Sibbal is a thief), “Kapil Sibbal Pakistani” (Kapil Sibbal is a Pakistani),”Desh ke gaddaron ko jootey maro saalon ko” (Kick the anti-nationals away), “Kapil Sibbal dalla hai” (Kapil Sibbal is an agent). While it was 5 pm in the evening I, along with other reporters, was waiting for Kanahiya to be taken out and what I saw was a group of lawyers who started interacting with journalists.
When I reached nearby them, I heard them saying that they are proud of what they have done and its a thing to be proud of and they are exercising their “fundamental duty” when they attacked Kanahiya.
When asked for a picture, one of them they readily agreed while others started lambasting the reporters. “Journalist door raho tum sabko kitna samjhaya tumhe nahi samajh ata kya”, (Stay away you journalists !!.. how many times do we make you understand..dont you get it), said one of them.
This situation was somehow taken under control but again at 7 pm while we were busy in updating our respective organisations about the developments in the court, a bunch of lawyers told me to go outside. When we tried to reason with them, they used cuss words and threatened us that we will be kicked out. However, one advocate became our savior and took us outside the court campus.