NEW DELHI: The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned twice after a row over Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s reference to the death of judge BH Loya “long before his time”.
As the Treasury benches erupted in protest, Union minister Kiren Rijiju accused Moitra of raising a matter settled by the Supreme Court, and warned of “appropriate parliamentary action”.
Participating in the debate on 75 years of the Indian Constitution, Moitra made a passing remark on Loya’s death as she attacked the ruling BJP for allegedly targeting institutions and Opposition leaders to silence critical voices.
The House was adjourned briefly twice due to the uproar over the matter.
“The Defence Minister, in a speech this morning, mentioned the courage of the late Justice HR Khanna to dissent in 1976. May I remind everyone, Justice HR Khanna lived for 32 years after 1976 under a largely Congress regime, long enough to write his autobiography, which the minister quoted from. Unlike poor Justice Loya, who is resting in peace long before his time,” Moitra said.
Launching a blistering attack on the BJP-led NDA government, Moitra said the BJP failed all three constitutional tests - electoral accountability, institutional accountability by judiciary and watchdogs by media and civil society institutions.
“Public trust in elections must be restored by Election Commission. We have jokingly started calling the MCC (model code of conduct) as Modi Code of Conduct,” she said.
Referring to statements by ex-CJI DY Chandrachud on Ram temple verdict, she said, “I did not think the framers of the Constitution thought judges would rely on private conversations with God rather than Constitution while giving judgments.”
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey objected to her criticism of Chandrachud including receiving Prime Minister Modi at his residence during a festival.
Meanwhile, speaking during the debate, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav reiterated his demand for a nationwide caste census.
