The Calcutta High Court on Thursday pulled up Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, over his alleged remarks on the judiciary asking him to submit a list of judges "with the BJP" and who aren’t to the court.
The High Court took the exception to the MP from the Diamond Harbour constituency in South 24 Parganas district, who belongs to the Mamata Banerjee faction, for his alleged remarks on judiciary.
The court concluded hearing in connection with a petition filed by Abhishek challenging the Bengal BJP government’s decision to downgrade his security cover from Z-plus to X. Justice Krishna Rao reserved his verdict.
Abhishek Bannerjee had made a scathing attack on a section of the judiciary, among others, accusing it of turning a blind eye to threats to his security particularly after his Kalighat residence in south Kolkata was allegedly attacked on 7 November night.
The hearing took an unexpected turn when the state government raised the issue of alleged remarks about the judiciary made by Abhishek, in a recent media interview.
Drawing the attention of Justice Krishna Rao, the state’s counsel played an audio clip during the hearing and argued that a people’s representative could question not the impartiality of judges. “How can a people’s representative make such adverse comments about judges?
He has practically challenged the impartiality of judges,” the state’s counsel submitted. The counsel also alleged that the remarks made by the MP is amount to criminal contempt of court urging the bench of Justice Rao to start a suo moto proceedings against him.
The Trinamool Congress MP’s lawyer, Ayan Bhattacharya, argued that the interview had no bearing on the security petition and should not be brought into the proceedings. Justice Rao, however, questioned the remarks attributed to the MP and observed that a people’s representative should be careful while making remarks about the judiciary.
“You ask your clients, who are the judges with the BJP and who aren’t ……since he is so intelligent,” Justice Rao remarked. Bhattacharya also urged the court not to let the interview controversy influence its decision on the security petition.
He argued that the remarks, if made, came at a time when his client was under tremendous mental pressure triggered by repeated attacks on the latter. Bhattacharya submitted that the present government was formed on May 9 and Abhishek’s security cover was downgraded on May 12.
Since then, the MP had faced six attacks, the latest being the incident outside his Kalighat home. Justice Rao also asked why five specific threats cited by the petitioner had not been examined by the joint commissioner of police (security).
Justice Rao reserved his verdict after concluding the hearing. The judge also clarified that Abhishek’s remarks in the interview would not influence the decision on his security petition.
