Bar associations across the state on Monday suspended their work in solidarity with Mansa-based advocate Amninder Singh Mann, against whom an FIR has been registered for allegedly making casteist remarks against then Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi, in July.Notably, Garhi has resigned from this position and is now an AAP leader. The FIR against Amninder was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Mansa on August 18 under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. However, no arrest has been made in the case so far. Advocate Gurdas Singh Mann, president of the District Bar Association, Mansa, said Amninder had made a comment concerning Garhi but maintained that there was no justification for invoking provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.”We observed a suspension of work at the Mansa district and sub-divisional courts on Friday and Saturday. A call for suspension of work across the state was given for today. All bar associations in the state are observing a suspension of work in solidarity with our colleague,” he said. Meanwhile, Advocate Gurwinder Singh Maan, president of the District Bar Association, Bathinda, said their association was observing a one-day suspension of work on Monday.”If our demand for cancellation of the FIR is not accepted, we may intensify our agitation and also approach bar associations in Haryana in this regard,” he said. According to the FIR, Amninder had allegedly made objectionable remarks on a social media platform on July 7.The FIR further stated that the Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes took suo motu cognisance of the matter on July 14 and directed the police to register a case and furnish information regarding the action taken.The advocates, however, have questioned the applicability of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, maintaining that the social media post did not contain any material that warranted the registration of a case under the special legislation.