Vikram Chauhan, Ring-Leader Of Attacks, Marches Supported By Hundreds

New Delhi: Hundreds of lawyers marched on the streets of Delhi today, responding to a call by Vikram Singh Chauhan, the advocate at the heart of this week's attacks on reporters and supporters of a student arrested on charges of sedition.

Mr Chauhan had on Facebook, asked lawyers to join a "peace march" to protest against what he called a "campaign by a section of the media" to tarnish lawyers.

Mr Chauhan yesterday ignored an order by the Delhi Police to make himself available for questioning about the riots at the Patiala House court hearing the case of Kanhaiya Kumar, a student leader at Jawaharlal Nehru University or JNU, arrested on charges of sedition for making anti-national remarks at a college event.

On Monday, before Mr Kumar was brought to court, lawyers including  Mr Chauhan, brimming over with jingoism, threatened and thrashed journalists as well as students and teacher from JNU.
 The pack of lawyers went hunting again on Wednesday at the same court, once again before Mr Kumar's arrival, encircling journalists and others while shouting slogans of their devotion to India. Though the supreme Court had, as a precaution after Monday's violence, banned protests at Patiala House, the police allowed the lawyers a free hand.

As Mr Kumar was escorted into court by the police, he was kicked and punched.  

"Lawyers are also Indian citizens, how can anyone allow anti- India slogans or pro- Pakistan slogans being raised in India?" Mr Chauhan said to NDTV yesterday, claiming he has created "a movement (that) has found resonance amongst lawyers across the country".

The Bar Council of India has apologized for the attacks and begun an investigation; the Supreme Court is also reviewing the violence. But as NDTV reported yesterday, on Facebook and WhatsApp, Mr Chauhan and his colleagues are swapping praise for each other's "lion-hearted heroism".

Despite the Supreme Court warning "We are watching"  for provocative remarks, the lawyers yesterday garlanded Mr Chauhan at a Delhi court and lit candles to commemorate their efforts " to protect Mother India".