Mumbai: On Thursday, Maharashtra’s Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) expressed concern over what it described as ‘an unprecedented’ visit by a Prime Minister to the residence of a Chief Justice of India (CJI) to attend a ‘puja’ of Lord Ganesha in Delhi.
Top MVA leaders, such as Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT), Kishore Tiwari of the Nationalist Congress Party (SP), Supriya Sule and Clyde Crasto of Congress, and Atul Londhe and Sachin Sawant of Congress, raised reservations over the development.
The reference was to PM Narendra Modi, attired in a typical Maharashtrian style, dropping in at CJI Dhananjay Chandrachud’s home in the national capital on Wednesday evening and performing a puja for Lord Ganesha.
“Dhananjay Chandrachud is the Chief Justice of India and retiring in November. Questions are raised in the people’s minds about all this, or whether the PM and CJI are adhering to Constitutional norms and protocols,” said Raut.
He pointed out that the CJI will soon hear the case of Maharashtra’s two major political parties, the SS (UBT) and NCP (SP), but now questions are raised about the outcome.
“The CJI should withdraw from this case as the PM’s office is a party to the whole thing. It’s been three years now; there are only dates after dates, but we are not getting justice in our battle against the unconstitutional regime that has taken power in the state. Like us, even the ordinary folks are wondering if the judgement is delayed as a judge is so politically close to the PM,” said Raut.
NCP (SP) Working President Supriya Sule said that when she learnt of the development, “I was surprised… But I have full faith in the judiciary, though not in the government.”
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Congress’ state Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said cryptically, “The PM going to the CJI’s home for Lord Ganpati darshan… this has never been seen before.”
“By this, what kind of a message is the PM trying to convey to the judiciary or the Opposition or to the people of the country, particularly in a delicate situation when the state political parties’ verdict is awaited, and the state Assembly elections are round the corner,” asked SS (UBT) Spokesperson Kishore Tiwari.
National Spokesperson of NCP (SP) Clyde Crasto said, “Both the PM and CJI should have exercised restraint and avoided mixing politics and judiciary like this.”
“This is unheard of and indicates all is not well in the current system. The peoples’ apprehensions on our Constitutional institutions seem to be coming true, especially since the PM is also the leader of a political party,” Crasto pointed out.
Raut questioned whether the judiciary is threatened by the existence of self-respecting parties such as the (undivided) Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party in the current situation, alleging that the people’s fears are being confirmed.
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–IANS
