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With Solicitor General Tushar Mehta coming under criticism for his remarks before the Supreme Court, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has targeted the Congress, saying those “rejected by the people cannot seek to control the polity of the country through the corridors of the court”.
Prasad told The Sunday Express, “We welcome PIL, courts should be left completely free to decide independently. Any overt or covert pressure on court should be avoided. That’s what independence of the judiciary means and we are proud of this independence of the judiciary. Court has every right to give a direction, including in the case of the plight of migrants. Why not?”
“But those who have been rejected by the people of India repeatedly cannot seek to control the polity of the country through the corridors of the court,” he added.
Mehta has been facing criticism for his remarks during a hearing in a case on the plight of migrants, taken up by Congress leader Kapil Sibal, among others.
Opposing intervention applications in the matter, Mehta had questioned the personal commitment of those who were seeking to intervene. Calling them prophets of doom, he said they needed to prove their credentials. He had also said some high courts are running parallel governments.
The Congress on Friday slammed Mehta’s remarks.
Without naming Sibal, Prasad said, “Of late many sponsored criticism and questions (are) being asked about the independence of judiciary. Prominently, these questions are being asked by people who also have their own political agenda.”
“This also includes Congress leaders who moved impeachment proceedings against a former chief justice and when the move was repelled by the sanctioning authority, which is the Vice President of India, he challenged even that before the Supreme Court and then withdrew it. This is their record as far as commitment to independence of the judiciary is concerned.,” Prasad said.
He said the ruling BJP’s legacy is that it fought for the independence of the judiciary during Emergency.