A video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending Ganesh Puja at the residence of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has sparked a huge political controversy. The meeting has drawn criticism from certain opposition figures, one of whom claimed it sent a “uncomfortable message”. Responding that it is not illegal to attend Ganesh Puja and that judges and politicians frequently share dais, the ruling BJP has struck back.
Yesterday, the Chief Justice and his wife Kalpana Das extended a cordial welcome to the Prime Minister during their visit to their Delhi house for Ganesh Puja. joined Ganesh Puja at Justice DY Chandrachud Ji’s home, the Chief Justice of India. The Prime Minister posted a picture of himself, the Chief Justice, and his wife worshiping in front of a Ganesh statue on X, along with the caption, “May Bhagwan Shri Ganesh bless us all with happiness, prosperity, and wonderful health.”
Such gatherings pose questions, according to Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, a representative of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). He recommended that the Indian Chief Justice step down from a case involving the rivalry between the Shiv Sena UBT and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Ah, the Ganpati festival is upon us. To date, how many homes has the prime minister visited? I am not in possession of the data. Although the Ganesh festival is observed throughout Delhi, the Chief Justice and the Prime Minister jointly conducted the Aarti at the Chief Justice’s residence. People have doubts if the guardians of the Constitution interact with political leaders in this way because of our understanding of God, Mr. Raut remarked.
“It appears that there is a custom in these situations where the judge dissociates himself from the case if there is a party and he has or is perceived to have any relationship with it. Thus, in my opinion, Chandrachud sahab had to distance himself from it,” he declared.
In a post on the Prime Minister’s visit to the chief judge’s residence, Mr. Raut’s party colleague Priyanka Chaturvedi also brought attention to the ongoing adjournments in the Sena v. Sena case. “All right. Hopefully, after the celebrations are over, CJI will feel appropriate and have a little more freedom to wrap up the hearing regarding Maharashtra and the state’s flagrant violation of Article 10 of the Constitution. Oh wait, it can wait until another day—elections are coming up anyhow,” the MP wrote on X.
Rajya Sabha MP and RJD leader Manoj Jha told news agency PTI that each institution’s independence needs to be demonstrated and is not merely a theoretical concept. “Even though Ganpati Puja is a private matter, you are taking a camera. It conveys an unsettling message. Both the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India are formidable figures. What else can we say if they consented to release these images into the public domain?
Before, Mr. Jha posted images from the Prime Minister’s visit to X with the words, “That’s the state of the republic, ladies and gentlemen.” Jai Hind.
The Chief Justice of India at the time, KG Balakrishnan, was present at a 2009 Iftar party held by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, according to BJP spokeswoman Shehzad Poonawalla, who took aim at the criticism from the Opposition.
Observing Ganesh Pooja is not illegal. Politicians and judges frequently share the stage. Regarding auspicious events such as marriages and programs, Uddhav Sena MP questions the credibility of the Supreme Court and CJI if the PM attends them at the CJI’s home. Like Rahul Gandhi did in the past, the Congress ecosystem targets the Supreme Court, Mr. Poonawalla added, calling it a “shameful contempt of court and abusing judiciary.”
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