Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Manan Kumar Mishra on Thursday issued a public appeal to the country's "intellectuals", alleging that the ongoing student protests have been "hijacked" by anti-social and anti-national elements acting at the behest of foreign adversaries and certain politicians.

In a four-page press release titled "An Appeal to the Intellectuals of the Country", Mishra called upon lawyers, teachers, professors, doctors, engineers, journalists, entrepreneurs, social workers and other citizens to "step forward and help safeguard the nation."

He alleged that "foreign adversaries are acting with the intent to destabilize India" and that "innocent students are being misled and misused."

"Anti-social and anti-national forces have hijacked their agitation; the expressed objective of the anti-nationals is to undermine and ruin our country," he said.

Without naming anyone, Mishra further alleged that "a few politicians, particularly one or two individuals with foreign loyalties, in whose veins foreign blood is flowing, are cunningly instigating and provoking younger generations to foment lawlessness."

According to him, such individuals "have no genuine concern for the peace and prosperity of our Bharat; instead they are dancing at the tune of enemy countries."

He claimed that the "anti-social and anti-national elements have entered this 'so-called students protest'" at the instance of those politicians, adding that their objective was to "create lawlessness, destabilize India, and seize power."

Mishra also alleged that one of these politicians "frequently travels abroad and meets anti-Indian figures, including those who support terrorism," and claimed that the person is "reputedly very close to George Soros and has been receiving huge funds intended to destabilize our country over the past decade."

The BCI Chairman further alleged that experts in stone pelting had been brought from Jammu and Kashmir and other States to Delhi and other major cities to facilitate attacks on police and public property.

"These miscreants are reportedly paid substantial sums to create disorder, assault police personnel, and damage public vehicles and property," he said, adding that "large scale social media campaigns have been orchestrated at the behest of Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and other countries."

Referring to recent incidents, Mishra said that "nightly gatherings of criminals have engaged in stone pelting and brutal assaults on police; this has continued for the past two days. No real student would act in such a manner."

He asserted that "the so-called protest has been completely hijacked by malicious elements whose objectives differ from those of genuine students."

The BCI Chairman appealed to members of the legal profession and other sections of society to guide students towards lawful and peaceful means of expression.

He said teachers and professors should engage directly with young people and "guide them towards peaceful, lawful and constructive forms of expression," while lawyers and other professional leaders should persuade students to "distance themselves from the conspiracies of anti-social elements and dangerous foreign designs."

He also urged doctors, engineers, journalists, scientists and other professionals to promote reason and responsible public conduct by verifying facts before circulating information and discouraging rumours, hatred and calls for violence.

Parents and guardians, he added, should ensure that young people are not exploited for unlawful purposes and should impress upon them that "violence, destruction and assault can never be justified as democratic participation."

Concluding his appeal, Mishra said that while he respected all political parties, "the nation comes first."

"I therefore call upon the legal fraternity, teachers, professors, doctors, journalists, engineers, media, technocrats, entrepreneurs and all other intellectuals and prudent citizens to rise to this moment: stand firmly for the Constitution, lead with courage, and act decisively to protect public order and the future of our students," he said.

The Bar Council of India, he added, appeals to every responsible citizen, "irrespective of profession, region, language, religion or political preference, to place the nation above partisan considerations."

In contrast with the stand of the BCI Chairman, several major bar bodies, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association, the Bombay Bar Association, and several other lawyers, have condemned the use of police violence against student protesters. The Supreme Court Bar Association President, Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, separately wrote to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister seeking action against the officials who used excessive force against the students, and demanding the suspension of the Delhi Police Commissioner.

Several Supreme Court lawyers organised a Preamble recitation at the Supreme Court today expressing solidarity with the protesters.