'Lawyers can't be cockroaches': Manan Mishra says he won't quit, fumes at CJP's resignation call

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Bar Council of India (BCI) chief Manan Kumar Mishra on Friday dismissed calls for his resignation, a demand also backed by Abhijeet Dipke's Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). His remarks came days after the CJP announced support for a protest at BCI, New Delhi seeking Mishra's resignation and called on “legal cockroaches” to join in. Hyderabad: Members of the All India Lawyers Union (AILU) Telangana State Committee raise slogans during a protest demanding the resignation of Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. (PTI)The Rajya Sabha MP also rejected the use of this term for advocates and said: "Don't you dare use the term "legal cockroaches" ever again. I am telling you this. A lawyer cannot be a cockroach. Lawyers belong to a respected class; they are a highly intelligent group." The Bar Council Chair also said that anyone who holds the post is not merely appointed but elected to lead the role. He said that he represents 25 lakh lawyers and won't step down over some demands on social media. “Do you want to make a mockery of an institution like the Bar Council of India? Do you think you can force the resignation of the Chairman of the Bar Council of India, who represents 2.5 to 2.6 million people across the country, simply by circulating frivolous posts on social media?,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. At the centre of this demand is an order directing to freeze the enrolment of the 2026 graduating batch of NALSAR University, Hyderabad as advocates. Mishra issued the order in response to some NALSAR University students objecting to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant as chief guest for the convocation ceremony. The Bar Council withdrew its order within hours after the matter sparked backlash. However, the outrage didn't stop, with the CJP issuing a call for Manan Mishra's resignation as BCI Chair. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das had said: “Moral responsibility commands that Manan Kumar Mishra resigns. Cockroaches both inside and outside courts should ensure this happens,” he wrote on X. Earlier this week, the CJP backed the All India Young Advocates Association’s protest call seeking Mishra’s resignation, and Abhijeet Dipke called on all “legal cockroaches” to join the cause. Also Read: ‘Manan, it’s done bro’: Within a month of ending Delhi protest, why CJP is seeking another resignation Reacting to the briefly standing order against NALSAR students, Manan Kumar Mishra told news agency ANI that the directive was revoked with 15 minutes and students' grievances were addressed. “Seizing this opportunity, members of the Aam Aadmi Party and the so-called CJP group began demanding Manan Mishra's resignation.... I have served as the Chairman of the Bar Council of India for 12 to 14 years because I was elected... Manan Mishra represents 25 lakh lawyers; he will not step down simply,” he was quoted as saying by ANI. His remarks came a day after members of different Bar Associations of Delhi gathered outside the BCI office in New Delhi, demanding his resignation over several issues concerning the legal fraternity. Also Read: ‘Ought to have resigned’: Bombay Bar Association on BCI chairman Manan Mishra's apology According to an ANI, among the protesting lawyers' primary concerns are Mishra's long tenure as BCI chairman, alleged lack of advocate welfare schemes, non-implementation of an Advocate Protection Act and a proposed increase in the registration fee for lawyers at the State Bar Council. Poorva Joshi is a Senior Content Producer with nearly five years of experience in journalism. She covers Indian politics and geopolitics, with a focus on diplomatic relations, trade negotiations, and economic policy between countries. She has previously worked at India Today, CNN-News18 and India TV. Over the years, she has reported extensively on major national and international developments, including the Air India plane crash, the Pahalgam terror attack, India–US trade tensions, tensions in the Middle East, high-profile crime stories in India, multiple state Assembly elections, and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. She spearheaded the Bihar Assembly elections live blog, which drew over one million users to the Hindustan Times website. Her reporting on India–US tariff and trade tensions has consistently driven strong readership and engagement for the platform. In addition to reporting, she has spent a significant part of her career leading newsroom shifts, ideating stories, editing and fine-tuning copies, and seeing coverage through from planning to publication, alongside writing original articles. At HT, she received the Insta Award for being the top contributor to the HT News Team in November.Read More