Reacting strongly against the bomb blast at the Delhi High Court, Mr Amarjit Singh Chandhiok, President, Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA), said, “Terrorism is a much larger issue than corruption because I may be able to live with a corrupt man, but not with a terrorist.”

Mr Chandhiok, who is also an Additional Solicitor-General, told Business Line that, “the entire society must stand up against terrorism.”

The legal fraternity called it a deliberate attack targeting the institutions to create mass phobia. Since the attack was on the institution, it has become a much larger issue, Mr Chandhiok said, adding that in the long run the lawyers will have to hold talks with the Government to do away with lapses that result in such incidents.

As a short-term measure, the DHCBA will be taking measures to decongest areas where there could be a crowd so that people do not have to throng at one place for anything, including passes. More closed circuit television (CCTVs) cameras will be installed in the premises, the officials said.

Noting that it was the second attack at the Delhi High Court premises in recent times — the first being in May — senior functionaries of the DHCBA said the terror attack showed a serious lapse in security. The DHCBA will soon be convening a series of meetings to improve the security in the court premises.

The lawyers rued that even after the attack in May CCTV cameras were not installed at the gates and vantage points in the premises.

“They (the culprits) must have carried out a reconnaissance of the court premises and found out the most vulnerable area,” a senior lawyer said requesting anonymity. He added, “This shows that they can attack anyone anywhere. After every such attack, the affected people hold talks and are bothered about it for sometime. Soon everything returns to normal and we forget it till the next attack.”

“This time, we have to take it seriously and do the best we can to prevent any further attack,” another lawyer said.

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