New Delhi: A Holi celebration organised by the New Delhi Bar Association inside a Delhi court complex has caused much consternation among a section of the legal fraternity because of the “scantily-clad women dancers” who performed on stage.
Clips from Wednesday’s cultural event at the Patiala House Court have gone viral on WhatsApp groups and even on social media.
The next day, on 9 March, a group of lawyers complained to the president and office-bearers of the New Delhi Bar Association that such an event organised by a bar association was “shocking”.
They wrote, “Unfortunately yesterday we also came across some video clippings of a celebration organized by the Delhi Bar Association on the occasion of Holi, featuring scantily-clad women dancers, performing what can best be described as inappropriate dance numbers.
“This letter is not directed against the dancers themselves, who were doing their job and no disrespect is intended to them. However, an event of this nature being hosted by a bar association is shocking. It is even more appalling that this celebration was held in the premises of Patiala House courts.”
They said it was totally inappropriate, sexist and unbecoming of lawyers to host such an event under the official name of any bar association and inside a court. “As lawyers we ought to uphold the Constitution and work towards gender equality in the workplace. These actions lower the majesty of the Court and also amount to various other legal wrongs,” the letter read.
The lawyers also felt that hosting such an event in court premises amounts to “sexual harassment of non-verbal nature” which also creates a hostile work environment for women lawyers, judicial officers, and staff who frequent the Patiala House courts.
They called the event in poor taste as the Supreme Court is only a kilometer away and the Chief Justice of India has always encouraged more inclusion of women lawyers in the legal profession.
President of New Delhi Bar Association Jagdeep Vats said this was a cultural event “that had other performances, including bhangra as well”. Vats also said that senior judges, who were prominent guests, had left the event when the cultural performances took place.
Vats also said the event manager has been issued a notice. “This shouldn’t bring down the legal fraternity,” he added in defence of the programme.
Delhi Bar Council chairman Murari Tiwari told ThePrint that he was out of town when the incident took place. He saw the viral videos only on Friday, Tiwari said.
Sources in the Bar Council Delhi — a disciplinary body for lawyers — said they were collecting evidence and statements to ascertain what exactly happened on Wednesday though a formal complaint was yet to be made.
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