NEW DELHI: Calling Congress Parliamentary Party Chaiperson Sonia Gandhi’s remark that government is seeking to “deligitimise the judiciary” as “inappropriate”, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Thursday urged the leaders to not subject high constitutional offices to partisan instances.
“The observations are severely inappropriate, indicating a lack of faith in democracy, making this exceptional response unavoidable. The statement imparted by the Hon’ble chairperson of the UPA is far distanced from my reflections. DALSelegitimising the judiciary is beyond my contemplation. It is a pillar of democracy. I would urge and expect leaders across the political spectrum to bear in mind not to subject high constitutional offices to partisan stances,” Dhankhar said in Rajya Sabha.
Slamming BJP government, CPP Chairperson yesterday had said that there was a troubling new development which was a calculated attempt to delegitimise the judiciary. “A troubling new development is the calculated attempt underway to delegitimize the judiciary. Ministers –- and even a high constitutional authority -- have been enlisted to making speeches attacking the judiciary on various grounds. It is quite clear that this is not an effort to provide reasonable suggestions for improvement.
Rather, it is an effort to reduce the standing of the judiciary in the eyes of the public,” she had said.
Responding to Gandhi’s remark, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju had said that there is no conflict between the government and judiciary and that it is the Congress that wants to politicise the issue.
“There is no conflict between the government and judiciary. Judiciary is being attacked by leaders belonging to Congress. Kapil Sibal had said that he has lost faith in the SC of India.
We don’t use such comments. We respect judiciary and we can only improve delivery of justice in coordination with the judiciary. If I put forth some issues then they are in response to the answers. Its my duty to answer the questions posed to me in the Parliament and this is not an attack on the judiciary” the minister had said.