The red roses stuck behind the protesting lawyers' ears were in sharp contrast to their black coats. Added to this eye-catching sight, the lady lawyers sweeping the street in front of the Minister For Law and Courts, Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao's residence was enough to make every passerby pause and take a second look.
The lawyers in Guntur were staging their unique style of protest on Thursday, against Venkataramana Rao putting off their demand for a High Court bench between Guntur and Vijayawada on Wednesday.
Venkatramana had cited the Srikrishna Committee's report, due to be submitted by the year-end, as the reason for the decision on the bench. He had also stated that the State and Central governments had to take a decision on the bench, apart from the Supreme and High Courts.
Terming the minister's statement as unwarranted, the lawyers sought his resignation from the cabinet for failing to give a concrete promise on the bench.
Raising slogans against the minister over his indifferent attitude towards the issue, the agitating lawyers tried to barge into his house. However, the alert police foiled their attempts.
After being blocked by the police, the lawyers removed the roses from behind their ears and placed them in front of the minister's gates. Later, the women lawyers swept the roads and while others played volleyball.
The lawyers demanded that the government prove its commitment by establishing the High Court bench in the region.
With this incident, the police, sensing trouble, deployed additional forces in front of his residence.