NEW DELHI:
Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday took a swipe at recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on the occasion of Ganpati Chaturthi, suggesting that it might raise doubts about judicial impartiality in the minds of the public.
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut questioned the appropriateness of the meeting and said, "Ganpati festival is here, people visit each other's homes.
I don't have information on how many homes the Prime Minister has visited so far. There are many places in Delhi, including our Maharashtra Sadan and Maharashtra Mandal."
"But the Prime Minister visited the Chief Justice's residence, and together they performed the aarti. Our concern is whether the guardians of the Constitution should meet political leaders in this manner, as it raises doubts in people's minds," he added.
Raut also advised
CJI Chandrachud to recuse himself from the ongoing involving Uddhav Thackeray group challenging the Maharashtra speaker's decision to recognise CM Eknath Shinde-led faction as real Shiv Sena.
"Our case is pending before Chandrachud Sahib, and we have doubts about its fairness," Raut said.
"Since the Prime Minister, who is a party in our case, met the Chief Justice at his home, the Chief Justice should recuse himself from this case. Will CJI Chandrachud be able to give us justice in such a situation? We are getting dates after dates and an illegal govt is going on...Shiv Sena and NCP were broken in such a way...we are not getting justice and PM Modi is taking a lot of interest in the illegal govt of Maharashtra, to save them. The CJI who is supposed to give us justice, with him PM has such a bond so yesterday a doubt was formed in the minds of Maharashtra.,"he added.
Meanwhile, BJP IT chief Amit Malviya countered oppositions' allegations and in-turn accused them of having problem with Hindu festivals.
"The entire Congress and Communist ecosystem is in a twist after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend Ganpati Poojan at CJI D Y Chandrachud’s residence. The same suspects held it as an epitome of secularism when Dr Manmohan Singh hosted Iftar parties and then CJI would attend. Their problem is not the civility and cordiality between the Prime Minister and the CJI, alone, but Ganesh Chaturthi," Malviya said.
"The Congress and the Communists have always had a problem with Hindu festivals and now they have a problem with Maharashtra also, which celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi with great fervour," he added.
The opposition's reaction comes a day after PM Modi visited CJI Chandrachud's residence to participate in Ganpati Puja.
The CJI, along with his wife Kalpana Das, welcomed the PM at his residence.
"Joined Ganesh Puja at the residence of CJI, Justice DY Chandrachud Ji. May Bhagwan Shri Ganesh bless us all with happiness, prosperity and wonderful health," the PM also said in a post on X.