Congress supports SC Judge's letter, says Centre wants to control judiciary

Supporting Supreme Court Judge J. Chelameswar's letter to Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra, the Congress on Friday said the "bonhomie between media and the government and judiciary and the government will lead to destruction of democracy" and that the Modi government was targeting all organisations.

Referring to Justice Chelameswar's letter, Congress leader and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal said: "The Modi government's mindset is to bring the higher judiciary under their control and to fill the judiciary with RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) people".

Justice Chelameswar, in his letter, had said that "the bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any state sounds the death knell of democracy".

The letter questioned the inquiry initiated by Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari against District and Sessions Judge Krishna Bhat allegedly at the instance of the Ministry of Law and Justice, despite Bhat's name being recommended for elevation twice by the Supreme Court Collegium.

"Justice Chelameshwar had asked why this was happening. He also said this should be discussed in full court. The Law Ministry has even ignored the collegium and the CJI and directly written a letter to Chief Justice Maheshwari.

"Their mindset is to bring the judiciary under their control. The names recommended by the Judges are rejected by the government. Ever since this government has come to power, they have targeted all the organisations," the Congress leader said.

Sibal said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn't even allow discussion on the no-trust motion (in Parliament). Every bill is turned into a money bill so that there could be no discussion in the Rajya Sabha.

"In Parliament, he (Modi) doesn't even take questions. First, they are destroying Parliament as an institution. Then they target the media.

"Media and judiciary are two pillars that can protect democracy. They (the government) have captured most of the media houses. When media and government come together, then what will be its consequence on democracy? History speaks for itself.

"The other organisation which they are targeting is the judiciary," he added.

--IANS

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