PM Narendra Modi has taken a swipe at the Congress over a letter by lawyers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a strong attack on the Congress party today after hundreds of lawyers and some bar associations across the country wrote to the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, expressing concerns over attempts to undermine the judiciary's integrity using political and professional pressure.
"To browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture. Five decades ago, they itself had called for a 'committed judiciary' - they shamelessly want commitment from others for their selfish interests, but desist from any commitment towards the nation," PM Modi said in a post on the microblogging website X.
"No wonder, 140 crore Indians are rejecting them," PM Modi said.
PM Modi's comments came after over 600 lawyers, including Harish Salve and Bar Council chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, wrote to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, alleging that a "vested interest group" is trying to put pressure on the judiciary and defame courts, especially in cases of corruption involving politicians.
Union Minister and Arunachal West candidate Kiren Rijiju said sane voices are openly coming out now, referring to the letter by the lawyers.
"These Congress people coined the concept of committed judiciary and suspended Indian Constitution. The Congress and leftists want courts and constitutional authorities to serve them or else they immediately start attacking the very institutions," Mr Rijiju said.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in a statement said it is not proper form for the Prime Minister to pass comments on the judiciary. "However, as you consider India's institutions to be your personal property, I have some questions for you. Why did four senior-most Supreme Court judges hold an unprecedented press conference and warn against 'destruction of democracy' by your regime? Why was one of the judges nominated by your government to the Rajya Sabha..." Mr Kharge said in the statement.
Yesterday, the All Manipur Bar Association had also written to Chief Justice DY Chandrachud highlighting the need to speak out against "underhanded attacks" on the judiciary. The bar association in the letter had said it was extremely concerned about recent trends where vested interest groups were trying to defame the courts with "frivolous logic" and "stale political agendas".
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, responding to PM Modi, said the Prime Minister's comments "is the height of hypocrisy".
"The PM's brazenness in orchestrating and coordinating an attack on the judiciary, in the name of defending the judiciary, is the height of hypocrisy. The Supreme Court has delivered body blows to him in recent weeks. The electoral bonds scheme is but one example..." Mr Ramesh said in a post on X.
"All that the Prime Minister has done in the last 10 years is divide, distort, divert, and defame. 140 crore Indians are waiting to give him a befitting reply very soon," the Congress leader said.
In the other letter by over 600 lawyers, they said the tactics used by the vested interest group "are damaging to our courts and threaten our democratic fabric."
Chief Justice Chandrachud's leadership is crucial in these "tough times" and the Supreme Court should stand strong, they said, adding it is not the time to maintain dignified silence.
The letter also targeted a section of lawyers without naming them and alleged they defend politicians by day and then try to influence judges through the media at night.