Appointed only two days back as an additional advocate general of Punjab, the senior lawyer Mukesh Berry has submitted his resignation. As per reports, his letter says the state government should not ridicule and diminish the status of senior advocates of the High Court”.
His resignation letter dated November 10 sent to Anurag Verma, principal secretary of Home Affairs of Punjab, is self-explanatory as to why he resigned and whom he asked not to ridicule and diminish the status of senior advocates. Berry and Tarun Vir Singh Lehal (son-in-law of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa), were appointed as additional advocate general on Monday.
“Without commenting upon the decision of the Punjab government in accepting the resignation of APS Deol, advocate general of Punjab, a senior lawyer of the High Court, I hereby submit my resignation from the post of the additional advocate general, Punjab which would be deemed to be accepted from the date of its submission,” Berry reflected feelings of advocates.
Berry said that he remained elected representative of advocates as a member of the Bar Council of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh for 27 years and also served as the chairman of the same. He was in continuous service as the law officer of Punjab.
Punjab CM buckled under the pressure of Navjot Singh Sidhu?
The Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday had accepted the resignation of APS Deol from the post of Advocate General. He was appointed a month ago. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had also made the announcement about his resignation. Channi bent before Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu who wanted the exit of Deol at any cost.
Sidhu wanted Deol’s ouster on the pretext that he was a counsel for former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and represented him in 2015 Kotkapura police firing incident cases related to Sikhs protesting against blasphemy incidents. Saini along with IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal is accused of causing the death of two people in the violence at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura in Faridkot district when he was the DGP in the police firing case.
However, as per media reports, Sidhu wanted DS Patwalia as the Advocate General, but Channi appointing Deol as AG had reportedly angered Sidhu as he had wanted to be consulted before major decisions.
As per a report in Tribune, the office of the Advocate General became the most vulnerable after Capt Amarinder Singh was forced to resign as Chief Minister. Following the ouster of Amarinder Singh, Atul Nanda stepped down as Advocate General. The new government took about eight days to appoint the next AG. It initially finalized three names. It is said that the post was initially ‘promised’ to DS Patwalia.
Sidhu is also reportedly upset over the appointment of Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota as the new DGP of Punjab since Channi did not consult him.
Manish Tiwari criticizes the removal of Deol
“Berry’s resignation has very eloquently summed up the disgust that a lot of us Lawyers across the country feel at repeated subversion of Constitutional offices by some members of the political class,” tweeted Congress leader Manish Tiwari.
Addl Advocate General Mukesh Berry’s resignation very eloquently sums up the disgust that a lot of us Lawyers across the country feel at repeated subversion of Constitutional offices by some members of the political class.Targeting lawyers based upon clients they represented 1/1 pic.twitter.com/pTZbJz0r0k
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) November 10, 2021
In the string of tweets, Tiwari without naming Sidhu said that targeting lawyers based upon clients they represented is a new nadir. He praised Channi “who is being magnanimous & statesmanlike trying to carry everyone along.” He said that “such politicians (Sidhu) who perceive apolitical constitutional functionaries as ‘soft targets’ to wage their proxy warfare find a better way to do their politics.”
1/3 wish such politicians who perceive apolitical Constitutional functionaries as ‘soft targets’ to wage their proxy Warfare find a better way to do their politics.I sincerely pray next AG will bring Bargari accused, Drug/Sand/ Transport Mafia Barons to Justice. My legal Services
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) November 10, 2021
The Congress government of Punjab appointing Chief Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa’s son-in-law Tarun Vir Singh Lehal as the Additional Advocate General has also caused an uproar among opposition leaders. This has been criticised as blatant nepotism.
