A group of over 650 lawyers, including several senior advocates, has issued a statement condemning the alleged use of force by the Delhi Police against student protesters at Jantar Mantar on July 20, calling the police action an attack on the constitutional values of free expression and the right to dissent.

The statement, signed by Senior Advocates Indira Jaising, Raju Ramachandran, Chander Uday Singh, Sanjay Hegde, Huzefa Ahmadi, Rebecca M John, Nandita Rao, Sanjay Parikh, Anjana Prakash, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Gopal Subramanium, Jayant Bhushan, Shadan Farasat, Warisha Farasat, Navin R. Nath, Sumita Hazarika, Sanjay Ghose, Sidharth Luthra, Anand Grover, Amit Anand Tiwari, PV Dinesh, Manali Singhal, Advocates Prashnat Bhushan, Vrinda Grover and over 620 other lawyers, expressed solidarity with the protesters and urged authorities to hold those responsible for any excessive use of force accountable.

"We, the undersigned lawyers, condemn the use of violence by Delhi Police against peaceful youth protestors at Jantar Mantar on 20th July 2026," the statement said.

Describing the incident as "unacceptable", the lawyers said that students were met with violence instead of dialogue. They asserted that "police brutality against protesting students is an attack on the principles of free expression, human dignity, and the right to dissent."

The signatories said they stood in solidarity with all those who had been "harmed, intimidated and traumatized" during the police action.

Referring to the demands raised by the students, the lawyers said that calls by the youth for accountability should have been met with respect "as students and the future of our country." They further observed that "the Parliament of India is not an ivory tower that should be beyond the reach of its citizens."

The statement urged that those responsible for the alleged excessive use of force be held accountable and that every effort be made to safeguard the rights and safety of citizens engaging in peaceful protest.

"We hope that the Government and Constitutional Institutions will step in to ensure the safety of peaceful protesters," the lawyers said.

The statement was also signed by Gautam Bhatia, Avi Singh, Pyoli, Omanakuttan, Ramesh Mishra, Sumeet Sharma, Cheryl D'Souza, Mayank Yadav, Dinhar Takiar, Ruchi Singh, Jagmeet Randhawa, Aekta Vats, R.S. Kundu, M.L. Yadav, Smriti Asmita, Rajat Wadhwa, Sudershan Rajan, Rajesh Mahajan, Shahrukh Alam, P.V.S. Giridhar, Rachana Joshi Issar, Talha Abdul Rahman, Fuzzail Ahmed Ayyubi, among others.