Peace price: empty lawyer pockets

Bihar Sharif (Nalanda), Nov. 5: Nitish Kumar’s governance has hit his livelihood, but Syed Mohammed Nasimul Haque is not complaining.

The 47-year-old criminal lawyer said the improved law and order in the state, which was once under the sway of gangsters, had translated into loss of business for him and his colleagues.

“It has become difficult to get clients. People are now living in peace. This is the biggest achievement of Nitish Kumar’s government,” said Haque, who practises at the Nalanda district court in the headquarters town of Bihar Sharif, about 70km from Patna.

He pointed towards the empty wooden chairs, meant for clients, in the lawyers’ room at the court.

“The room used to be packed with clients during Lalu Prasad’s rule. I used to get five to 10 clients every month. Now the number has fallen to one or two. Kidnapping, murder and extortion have completely stopped in the past couple of years,” he said.

Haque had begun practising at the court in 1992, two years after Lalu Prasad came to power. During those days, then Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Pappu Khan, a mafia don, lorded over Bihar Sharif. But Pappu was sentenced to life in July this year by a fast-track court for killing a local businessman in 2005.

“He was the RJD’s muscleman and was close to Lalu Prasad. His gang members had made life difficult for businessmen and traders,” said another lawyer who did not wish to be named.

“Now many lawyers are almost jobless. We are having to think of some other business besides practising law. I have friends in other district courts, and everywhere it is the same story,” chuckled Alok Kumar, another criminal lawyer.

His tone grew more serious. “Look, nobody wants crime. Most of the criminals are behind bars now, and some others have fled the state. Bihar is now liveable.”

Kumar said Nalanda used to be among the districts worst hit by crime. Between 1990 and 2005, during the tenures of Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi, the district had witnessed a sharp rise in kidnapping, murder, rape, molestation, robbery and extortion.

Of the 800 lawyers practising at Nalanda’s civil and criminal courts, almost 600 are criminal lawyers.

“The number tells the story. Criminal lawyers were much sought after when criminals ruled the roost,” Haque said.

However, despite the fall in “hardcore” crime, the district court is still flooded with cases of dowry torture.

“Crimes against women are still on the rise. The government needs to take measures against it,” a lawyer said.

https://www.telegraphindia.com/1101106/jsp/nation/story_13145214.jsp