New Delhi: Even as his party voiced its displeasure over Chief Justice of India H L Dattu's remarks hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi believes that there was “no omission by the CJI till date” that could raise doubt about his impartiality.
Singhvi, himself a senior lawyer, has tweeted “Read holistically esp previous paras, CJI doesn't praise PM personally bt institutionally. No act/omission of CJI till date raises doubt.”
In another tweet, he says, “In vibrant, free & hyperactive democracy (india) with searing press scrutiny, CJI Shd be judged by actions not by words said in diff context.”
Though he posted both the tweets yesterday, Singhvi refused to comment from the AICC podium today, when a question was asked to him about Dattu's remarks noting that his colleague had two days back made the party's official stand on this matter clear.
On Monday, another Congress spokesperson Randip Surjewala had said that it would have been a “better option” for Dattu to keep his personal views about the Prime Minister at personal level rather than voicing it publicly. “It would have been wise had the honourable Chief Justice of India, whom we respect a lot, had kept his personal views as personal lest expression of such views has a possibility of reflecting upon the decision making process.
“Self restraint from the highest judicial officer of the country would have been better. Keeping his personal views personal would have been a better option,” Surjewala had said.
The CJI, in an interaction with the media on Friday last, had said he rates him (Modi) as a good leader, good human being and a man with a foresight and one who wants good governance. He had also said that the judiciary's relationship with the government has been very good and that its demands have been taken care of by the government.
Seeing red in Dattu's remarks, Opposition parties had said that constitutional boundaries must be maintained and exercised by all.
A Congress leader speaking on the condition of anonymity today said that it will be “unfair” to suspect Dattu's intentions as he must have said those words unconsciously. “He was possibly making a point of institutional harmony. I do not think he was trying to please anybody,” the leader said.
