A defendant in a court in Siliguri, West Bengal, allegedly shouted “Jai Shri Ram” after seeing a female judge wearing a hijab, sparking a heated debate and condemnation from a section of lawyers. The incident took place on Thursday during a hearing in a 2018 case related to an interfaith marriage, in which 24 people had been summoned. According to court sources, while the court was taking the names and appearances of the accused, one of them shouted the slogan after seeing the judge’s attire. The courtroom immediately became embroiled in controversy. The accused’s lawyer, Tridiv Saha, who is known to be pro-BJP, apologized in the courtroom, calling the incident a coincidence. He claimed that many people use phrases like “Jai Shri Ram” or “Radhe Radhe” while greeting each other, and that the accused said it without understanding while being called by name. He added that he and others immediately apologized.
The Siliguri Bar Association President, Uday Shankar Malakar, termed the incident condemnable and said, “This is completely uncalled for. All this is never desirable in a courtroom. If the court wanted, a case could have been filed suo motu.” Dibakar Roy, Darjeeling District Secretary of the All India Lawyers Association, said, “The courtroom is a place of impartial trial, above all religious-political or other controversies. No religious or political slogans or comments can be made there. Such incidents are never compatible with an impartial judiciary. On behalf of our organization, we strongly oppose and condemn such activities.” Alkesh Chakraborty, a lawyer at the Siliguri Subdistrict Court and a member of the West Bengal Bar Council, alleged that courtroom protocol was violated. He said, “A specific protocol must always be followed in the courtroom. No comment can ever be made based on the clothes worn by anyone, be it a judge or a litigant. The court is a place of impartial trial.” He added that if such slogans were raised based on clothing, then it is not wrong, it is a crime.
The incident has triggered a broader debate about religious and political expression in courtrooms, with lawyers and bar association representatives emphasizing that the sanctity and impartiality of the judicial space must be maintained. The case itself dates back to 2018, when police filed a case against 24 people over an interfaith marriage. Some of the accused had already been granted bail, while the remaining few were asked to appear in court on Thursday after arrest warrants were issued. The rest were also summoned for the hearing. The slogan was shouted during the process of identifying the accused, and the lawyer’s apology did not prevent the incident from becoming a subject of intense discussion. The reactions from legal bodies and individual lawyers reflect concern that such actions could undermine the dignity of the court and the principle of impartial justice. The matter remains under discussion, and it is unclear whether any further legal action will be taken.
