Over 300 lawyers practising across courts in the country issued an open statement criticising Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju for his recent statement that some retired judges are “part of an anti-India gang”.
“The allegations of anti-nationalism against people who have dedicated their lives to upholding the rule of law, and the naked threat of reprisals against them, marks a new low in the public discourse of our great nation,” the letter read.
According to reports, while speaking at a conclave, Rijiju said that there were “three or four” retired judges who are part of an “anti-India” gang, adding that anybody who has worked against the country “will have to pay a price”.
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"It is a few of the retired judges - maybe three or four - a few 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. How can these people openly say the Indian judiciary (should) take the government head on?” he said, according to a report by India Today.
The lawyers in their statement said, “By bracketing the critics, that too without naming them, as an ‘anti-India gang’, the minister has transgressed all limits of constitutional propriety by claiming that the members of this ‘anti-India gang’ wanted to “make the judiciary play the role of the opposition,” a report by LiveLaw said.
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"He pointedly threatened these retired Supreme Court judges that “no one will escape” and “those who work against the country will pay the price"," they further said adding that the law minister is clearly sending a message to every citizen, that no voice of dissent will be spared.”
Condemning his remarks, the lawyers said, "Such hectoring and bullying are unbecoming of the high office held by the minister. We may remind the minister that criticism of the government is neither against the nation, nor unpatriotic, nor ‘anti-India’. He must remember that the government of the day is not the nation, and the nation is not the government.”
