Overview
- On Thursday, July 23, BCI chairman and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Manan Kumar Mishra issued a four‑page press release alleging that anti‑national actors and foreign adversaries have “hijacked” student protests and urged intellectuals to steer students toward lawful expression.
- Mishra named specific claims including paid stone‑pelters brought from Jammu and Kashmir, coordinated social‑media campaigns by neighbouring countries, and alleged politicians with foreign ties, but the articles provide no public evidence to substantiate those charges.
- Major bar bodies and senior lawyers publicly rejected police violence against protesters, sought administrative action including the suspension of the Delhi Police Commissioner, and held a Preamble recitation at the Supreme Court to show solidarity with students.
- Legal commentators and some lawyers questioned whether the BCI release was authorised by the Council, raised concerns about the use of the regulator’s letterhead, and flagged a conflict of interest because the chairman is also a ruling‑party MP.
- The dispute could chill advocacy and trigger legal challenges to the BCI’s authority, so the next developments to watch are whether the Council formally disavows the note, whether independent inquiries are launched, and whether evidence is produced to support the chairman’s claims.