How the Urdu poet Faez saved lawyers of Allahabad High Court By Justice Katju

I have always been an admirer of the poetry of the Pakistani Urdu poet Faez Ahmed Faez ( 13.2.1911-20.11.1984 ), whom I regard as the greatest Urdu poet of the 20th century. I have written many articles about him and his poetry, some of which are given below :

https://nayadaur.tv/25-Jun-2021/the-true-meaning-of-faiz-s-poem-gulon-mein-rang-bharay

https://pakistanlink.org/Opinion/2025/May25/23/03.HTM

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/satyam-bruyat/the-power-of-urdu-poetry

https://www.facebook.com/justicekatju/posts/quoting-faiz-in-judgments-and-elsewhereby-justice-katjufaiz-ahmed-faiz-is-my-fav/1072918614204528

I would now like to confess to a mischief I did over 52 years ago, using a Faiz verse, which story I have not revealed to anyone till now.

This incident happened in the year 1972 or 1973. I was then a very junior lawyer in Allahabad High Court. When I am such a firebrand even now at the age of 79, you can imagine the fire in me at the age of 26 or so.

It so happened that a very ‘dismissing judge’ (if I may use a vulgar expression) came to the Allahabad High Court, having been elevated from the subordinate judiciary. In every appeal/petition which he heard in Court he would quietly hear the appellant/petitioner’s counsel, then the opposite party’s counsel, and then pass an order dismissing the case, often by a single word ” Dismissed ”. He kept repeating this over and over again.

Some lawyers came to me and said “Katju Saheb, bachaiye, yeh to hamein barbaad kar dega” ( ”Katju Saheb, save us , this Judge will ruin us”). I told them not to worry.

That evening I wrote a leaflet with the heading “High Court ya kasai ghar?” ( i.e. ‘High Court or Slaughterhouse? ‘) Below that I quoted a sher of Faiz :

” Bane hai ahal-e-hawas muddai bhi munsif bhi

” Kise vakeel karein, kisse Munsifi chaahen ”

i.e.

” When selfish people have become both petioners and judges

Whom should I make my lawyer, from whom should I seek justice ? ”

I then wrote in that leaflet that ever since this Judge has come to the High Court he has been dismissing almost all cases, making the High Court like a slaughterhouse, etc, etc.

This leaflet was secretly printed in some press, and the next morning long before the Court could assemble was distributed widely in the High Court premises. In each of the Courtrooms a copy was placed on the Judges’ desk, and in the front row where mostly the senior lawyers would sit. When the Judges came into their Courtrooms they saw the leaflet, read it, and there was an uproar. Many Judges retired to their chambers saying “Yeh kya badtameezi hai?” (“What is this impertinence?)

However, the leaflet had its effect, and the judge became liberal after that.

I cannot claim the credit for this. The credit must go to Faiz