Row over Judges' meet unnecessary: CPI

CPI today came out in support of Justice Kurian Joseph who had recently objected to the holding of judges' conference on Good Friday, and said that religious issues should be dealt with utmost care.
The CPI national secretariat also termed the controversy surrounding convening of All India Chief Justices Conference on Good Friday as "unnecessary".
"An unnecessary controversy has been raked up by convening the All India Chief Justices Conference on Good Friday (April 3) which continued till the Easter day on April 5 leading to the absence to a dinner being hosted by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for top judges," S Sudhakar Reddy, CPI general secretary, said in a statement.

"It seems it is not an accident as Justice Kurian Joseph had expressed his concerns over the conference being held on Good Friday, a holy day for Christians. The judge wrote to Modi after Chief Justice HL Dattu did not heed to his objections to the schedule of the three-day event," he added.
Reddy termed the Chief Justice rejecting Joseph's request made on March 18 as "unfortunate".
"Unfortunately, Chief Justice had rejected Joseph's request. It may be recalled here Christians had protested when the BJP-led government decided last year to observe former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee's birthday, which coincides with Christmas, as 'Good Governance Day.'

"To say the least, the national secretariat wants judges in general and the Chief Justice of India in particular like Caesar's wife must be above suspicion. Modi regime, bent upon disregarding minorities' sentiments, is thereby eroding our secular base. People have to resist this onslaught and defend the secular fabric of our nation," he added.