Justice Sen communal, can't be judge: CPI-M

The CPI-M on Friday condemned Justice Sudip Ranjan Sen of the Meghalaya High Court for making what it said were communal observations and said he had lost the moral right to be a judge.

"The CPI-M condemns in unequivocal terms the recent utterances of Justice Sen, in the form of a judgement which is against the basic structure of our Constitution," it said in a statement.

"The Supreme Court had earlier given a verdict that secularism, amongst others, is a fundamental feature of our Constitution."

In his ruling, Justice Sen observed that "nobody should try to make India ... another Islamic country" and that the government should allow non-Muslim and tribal communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to live in India without any cut-off year.

"Justice Sen reflects his political faith akin to RSS ideology of Hindu Rashtra," the Communist Party of India-Marxist said.

"By smuggling in his brazen communal view on (India's) partition and making an obvious political statement on the proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act, he has both undermined the pre-eminent role of Parliament and the independence of the judiciary.

"Such views will contribute to further provoking discord among the people in the North East.

"The CPI-M is of the opinion that Justice Sen has lost his moral right to continue in the office as a Judge of a High Court.

"The CPI-M will consult other parties in Parliament to consider moving an impeachment motion for his removal.

"Meanwhile, we request the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India to keep Justice Sen off judicial functions," the party said.

--IANS

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