Rajya Sabha members yesterday displayed rare solidarity in demanding that government should take suo motu cognisance of the disclosure by the Chief Jusitce of India that a certain gentleman had tried to approach Supreme Court judges in the hawala case.
One of the ways suggested to the government was to ask the Attorney General to initiate suo-motu proceedings to find out the name of the person who tried to influence the judges.
The government remained non-commital. Union information and broadcasting minister S Jaipal Reddy said it was for the apex court to proceed in the matter.
Assuring the House that nobody from the government was involved in the matter, he said: The government cannot pursue the matter on its own ....It can be taken up at the Chief Justices level. He added that the governments machinery would be completely at the disposal of the Supreme Court if it wants to take up the matter further.
Raising the matter during zero hour, BJP member Satish Agarwal drew the attention of the government towards the remarks made by the Chief Justice inside the court and demanded criminal contempt proceeding against the offender whose name was not disclosed.
Aggrawal said that the Supreme Court could have initiated suo motu proceedings against the offenders but it did not. The AG was also empowered to make suo motu proceedings and demanded that the government should use all means to expose the offender.
Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee said that, if it was possible for the Chief Justice to disclose the name, he should do that. CPI(M) member Biplab Dasgupta asked what would happen at the lower levels of judiciary if such things could happen in the highest court of the country.
Both the leaders expressed concern at the matter and asked the government to use whatever mechanism at its disposal to bring out the name.
Sharing the members concern, deputy chairperson Najma Heptulla said the matter is very serious and the anguish of the members has to be conveyed to the government .... And it is for the government to do what it wants.
