Congress leader Salman Khurshid is defending controversial godman Asarap Bapu
Once former union ministers and Congress party spokespersons, they are now back to being high-profile lawyers. As former Congress ministers head back to the courtroom, many of them have to tread a thin line to avoid getting caught between party loyalties and professional commitments.
Salman Khurshid learnt this recently at a regular Congress briefing. The former Union Law Minister, who is defending Asaram Bapu in the Supreme Court, was reportedly asked if it was fine to argue Asaram's case when the Congress had severely criticised the controversial godman in the past.
Mr Khurshid retorted strongly, "I do not think that I am here to answer professional questions about my professional conduct."
His colleague in the party -- former Information and Broadcasting Minister and party spokesperson Manish Tewari -- agrees with Mr Khurshid.
Mr Tewari, who too has gone back to the legal profession, told NDTV, "As a professional, you are perfectly entitled to represent whoever you feel like or whosoever has approached you. And as a politician, you continue to do your job. There is a Chinese wall between the two."
But eminent jurist Rajeev Dhawan disagrees.
"Political lawyers have strings attached to them. Parties demand loyalty. Therefore, if a political lawyer, belonging to a party, goes against the grain of the party, he is tugged at in two directions - his professional lie and political life. And I think, in the end, if he has any doubt that the two are in conflict, he should not take up the case," said Mr Dhawan.
Many in the legal fraternity, though, are quite pleased to find the articulate politicians back in their lawyer's robes. Last Thursday, eminent jurist Indira Jaisingh tweeted: "Great to see Ex UPA Minsters super active in court, Kapil Sibal leads, they seem better in Opposition than in power, well done!"
Though senior politician-lawyers refused to reveal how much they charge for a court appearance, sources said they can charge anywhere between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 8 lakh for each court appearance. And many of them argue up to four cases a day.
But as the former Congress ministers argue their cases in courtrooms, their party is missing their interventions in the people's court: the Lok Sabha.