Attack on Advocate Is an Attack on the Rule of Law; Congress Demands Swift Investigation and Protection for Lawyers: Amarnath Panjikar

Goa Khabar:Addressing a press conference at the Congress Headquarters in Panaji, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Media and Communication Department Chairman Shri Amarnath Panjikar, along with GPCC President Shri Girish Chodankar, Goa Youth Congress President Shri Archit Naik, and NSUI State General Secretary Shri Kumar Arjun Gauli, strongly condemned the brutal attack on Advocate Ankur Kumar at Tembwado in Morjim village.

Panjikar said that Advocate Ankur Kumar, along with landowner Shri Anil Naik, had visited the site following demolition orders issued by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and subsequent directions of the High Court and the Supreme Court concerning illegal structures.

“This criminal assault on a lawyer is not merely an attack on an individual but a direct assault on the rule of law and the justice delivery system. Such incidents are unacceptable and pose a serious threat to society,” Panjikar said.

He emphasized that no individual has the right to take the law into their own hands. “If anyone is aggrieved by a court order or any legal proceeding, the remedy lies within the judicial system and not through violence, intimidation or mob justice. Law must take its own course,” he asserted.

Panjikar pointed out that advocates are indispensable officers of the justice delivery system who assist courts in upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens’ rights. “Whenever people face injustice, they approach the courts through advocates. If lawyers themselves are unsafe while performing their professional duties, how can ordinary citizens have confidence in accessing justice?” he questioned.

He further warned that attempts to create fear among advocates and intimidate those associated with the judicial process strike at the very foundation of democracy. “Justice cannot be delivered in an atmosphere of fear. Such attacks must never be allowed to become a precedent,” he said.

The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee demanded a swift, fair and thorough investigation into the incident, strict action against all those responsible, and adequate protection for advocates discharging their professional duties. Panjikar also urged the Government to implement a comprehensive Advocates’ Protection and Security Law to ensure the safety, dignity and independence of the legal fraternity.

“The Government must send a clear message that violence against advocates and attempts to obstruct the administration of justice will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” Panjikar concluded.