NEW DELHI: Speaking out on allegations of sexual harassment against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said that the trend of peddling falsehood to destroy institutions would accelerate if those trying to do it were not dealt with in an exemplary manner.“But let it be remembered that this is not the first case of the ‘institutional destabilisers’ nor will it be the last. If those who peddle falsehood to destroy the institution are not dealt with in an exemplary manner, this trend will only accelerate,” Jaitley said in a blog titled ‘It’s Time to Stand up With the Judiciary’.
The finance minister said that the country had witnessed a series of attacks by ‘institution disruptors’ against judges who did not agree with them. “It may not be an exaggeration to say that today both in court and by creating an environment outside, a mass-intimidation of judges is on. Some lawyers have used intimidatory behaviour as a tactic to expand their practice,” Jaitley wrote in the blog.
Jaitley said that many of the ‘institution destabilisers’ represented the left and ultra left views. “They have no electoral base or popular support. However, they still have a disproportionate presence in the media and the academia,” he said.
The finance minister also took on the Congress, saying it was regrettable that a section of the Bar affiliated to the party had joined them even though the ‘destabilisers’ subscribed to fringe ideologies and ideas. “Frequent attempts are made to get some parliamentarians to sign motion of impeachment against judges and even the Chief Justice on unsustainable grounds,” he said, and added that he was always puzzled as to why the Grand Old Party was lending support to such fringe campaigns.