Supreme Court Bar Association President Dushyant Dave on Wednesday wrote to Chief Justice SA Bobde expressing “strong disappointment and condemnation” for not not being allowed to speak at the farewell of Justice Arun Mishra, reported PTI. Dave told the CJI that he would never participate in any event of the Supreme Court till his term as president gets over in December.

“I must confess, the Supreme Court has come to such levels where the judges are afraid of the bar,” Dave wrote in his letter. “Please do remember, judges come and go but we the bar remain constant. We are the real strength of this great institution because we are permanent. I must say, I am personally deeply saddened by this event and will never again participate in any function being organised by the Supreme Court till my term is over in December.”

Dave said that he had expected to speak after Attorney General KK Venugopal but President of SC Advocates on Record Association Shivaji Jadhav was asked to address instead. The senior advocate claimed that he was “being disconnected again and again” but he persisted and reconnected every time.

“I saw and heard Shri Jadhav fully and at the end of his address again I was not requested to speak though Shri Jadhav has acknowledged my presence in his address,” Dave said, according to Live Law. “After that your lordship spoke which I saw and heard and then invited Justice Mishra to speak. At that stage realising the game plan I exited in the larger interests of the dignity of the Bar and myself.”

Dave said he had approached the secretary general, informing him of the “game plan” and enquiring the reason he had been kept on mute. “The whole attempt was to prevent me from addressing on behalf of the SCBA and its EC, after having invited and invitation having been accepted,” he added.

Last week, Mishra had refused to accept the invitation from the bar association as well as the Confederation of Indian Bar for a farewell ceremony citing coronavirus-related fears. Mishra had said that his conscience did not allow him to attend the events when there had been suffering due to Covid-19.