Chaos As Chief Justice, Amit Shah Temple Visits Coincide. 3 Officials Pay

On October 17, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and his wife were forced to wait at Assam's famous Kamakhya temple during a visit that coincided with that of BJP president Amit Shah and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The Chief Justice reportedly expressed his displeasure to police officers on crowd management at the temple on an important day - the ashtami of Durga Puja.

Days later, three senior officials stand suspended for "misbehavior and protocol and security lapses" that caused inconvenience to Chief Justice Gogoi.

One of them, additional deputy commissioner Pulak Mahanta, has been accused of "referring to the Chief Justice in a disrespectful manner while looking at his approaching VVIP car before a Guard of Honour," according to a government note.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Bhanwar Lal Meena and an additional deputy commissioner, Prasanta Pratim Kathkotiya, were suspended for "lapses in security arrangements".

Senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia accused the state's BJP government of "sycophancy". He alleged that the top judge was kept waiting outside the temple "while political personalities were being entertained inside."

Reports suggest the famous temple was opened for about three hours that day because of Durga Puja, and the crowds surged for access in that limited time. There were also a large number of people there to see the BJP chief, and the commotion forced the Chief Justice to wait.

Mr Saikia, the leader of Opposition in the Assam assembly, said the incident had exposed a desperate attempt by BJP leaders to please their "political masters".

"Misplaced priorities" have resulted in a police officer being made scapegoat, he charged.

The Congress leader pointed out that in protocol, the Chief Justice held precedence over any political personality, but the state government had messed up. He demanded that the suspended officers be reinstated.