AN eight-member team of European Union, which reached Raipur on January 23 night to witness Binayak Sen’s bail hearing next day in Chhattisgarh High Court, faced strong protests from local lawyers and the ABVP workers. The protestors showed the EU representatives black flags and shouted slogans against them. The team that arrived at the airport with eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani, also a BJP MP, faced protests from members of the Bar Council and ABVP, who shouted “European Union go back”. They alleged that the 27-member body was an attempt to directly influence the Indian judicial process. “EU representatives did not come as observers but to try to influence the judicial process in India. We will not tolerate it,” a protester said. The European Union delegation included representatives from Delhi-based diplomatic missions from Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Sweden and the UK.
