published by, Deblina Day
Last Update: March 19, 2023, 22:37 IST
Law Minister Kiren Rijiju. (PTI/FILE)
Rijiju made the remarks at the India Today Conclave in the national capital on Saturday
Opposition leaders on Sunday hit out at Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju over his remark that some retired judges and activists were “part of the anti-India gang” and trying to make the Indian judiciary play the role of opposition, saying he would not Can be found away from such claims and should be given proof.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that it was an attempt to put pressure on the judiciary.
“What kind of democracy is this? Does it suit the law minister to threaten the judiciary? This is a threat to judges who refuse to bow down to the government and an attempt to mount pressure on the judiciary.”
Rijiju made the remarks at the India Today Conclave in the national capital on Saturday.
“It is some of the retired judges – maybe three or four – some of those activists, part of the anti-India gang, these people are trying to make the Indian judiciary play the role of the opposition party,” he had said, without any Took the name of
He said, ‘Some people even go to the court and say that please rein on the government, please change the policy of the government. These people want the judiciary to play the role of the opposition party, which cannot happen.”
The minister, however, insisted that the judiciary is neutral.
Raut said that criticizing the government does not mean being against the country.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Jawahar Sarkar said on Twitter that a minister cannot get away with making such a statement.
“Give proof. Don’t threaten,” he demanded in a post on the microblogging site.
“The RSS did not participate in the freedom struggle and the Hindu Mahasabha supported the British. Don’t give us pro-India, anti-India knowledge.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that a law minister was “talking like a dacoit”.
“Justice Minister who propagates injustice. If this isn’t a threat to postwar freedom of speech, what is?” he tweeted on Saturday.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, who is also a renowned lawyer, also took a jibe at the minister.
“Rijiju: Some retired judges are part of an “anti-India gang”. My response: Some politicians in government are part of a “gang they don’t know what they are talking about”, he tweeted.
CPI(M) leader and former Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac asked whether Rijiju was a “minister of law or lawlessness”.
“Kiren Rijiju, on the roll – now he threatens judges: “Some retired judges are part of the anti-India gang”. Is he the minister of law or chaos? Isaac tweeted.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)