KOCHI: Taking umbrage at the six-month jail term handed down to one of its leaders in a contempt of court case, activists of CPI-M today staged a sit-in dharna near the Kerala High Court in a rare kind of protest.Hundreds of workers took part in the protest, which, however, did not affect the functioning of the court. Judges could drive to the court without any hindrance. Lawyers also said they did not have any problem in reaching the court.Initiating suo motu contempt proceedings against M V Jayarajan for his derogatory remarks against judges and judiciary for banning road side meetings, the court had last week sentenced him to six months imprisonment.Senior party leaders, including Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Thomas Issac visited the workers.The workers, who squatted on the road side near the high court junction, did not raise any slogans but held banners and placards proclaiming "In democracy people are supreme" and "Judges sitting in glass houses should not throw stones at people".Balakrishnan told reporters that the court order banning road side meetings last year was an 'encroachment' on the freedom of expression of the people.He criticised the government for not appealing against the order on road-side meetings. Since government failed to take any steps, Marxist workers were forced to protest, he said.About 2,000 police personnel led by city commissioner M R Ajith Kumar were deployed.The police commissioner had yesterday issued a notice to CPI-M state Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan asking the party not to disturb the functioning of the court by holding demonstrations.
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