New Delhi: Claiming allegiance to the Congress, a section of lawyers protested against former union minister and senior advocate P. Chidambaram in West Bengal capital Kolkata on Wednesday for representing agro-processing firm Keventer. Alleging that Chidambaram is playing with the sentiments of the grand old party, the lawyers claimed that it was not appropriate for him to represent the company when West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is fighting the case challenging the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government’s sale of shares of Metro Dairy to the private company, PTI reported.
The protests took place as the senior Congress leader was leaving the Calcutta High Court.
Kaustav Bagchi, a lawyer participating in the protest, said that Chidambaram was appearing for an entity whose purchase of shares was being objected to by the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president.
“Mr Chidambaram is a CWC (Congress Working Committee) member and a very important leader,” he said, PTI reported.
Stating that he led the protest “as a Congress worker” and not as a lawyer, Bagchi said the party workers will mete out similar treatment to any leader who acts against the interests of Congress in West Bengal.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Congress chief said that the protest was a “natural” reaction from some party supporters.
"I have heard that some Congress supporters present at Calcutta High Court protested. I believe this was their natural reaction," Chowdhury told PTI from Berhampore.
Commenting on Chidambaram fighting the case, Chowdhury said one has the right to choose his or her options in a professional world.
“It’s a professional world. It depends on the person ... nobody can dictate to him or her,” he added.