Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said court proceedings should not become an occasion to settle political scores.
The minister said this in reference to a high-pitched war of words yesterday between two lawyers during the hearing of the sensitive Hadiya case, related to an inter-religious marriage in Kerala, in the apex court.
"First of all as a law minister, I should not make comments on a sub-judice matter. But apart from being a law minister, I am also a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court of India.
"Court proceedings should not become a political theatrics to settle one's political score... this I would certainly say," Prasad said in response to a question on the matter during a press conference here.
He refused to comment on the case and said if one has anything against someone then "come with evidence".
A bench headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Dipak Misra had got irked when senior lawyer Dushayant Dave referred to the names of BJP President Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and their imputed political motive.
"Yogi Adityanath spoke of 'love jihad' in Kerala... this court should know the ground ground realities," Dave had said, adding that Shah had also visited Kerala.
Dave's statement led to a war of words with the other lawyer, prompting the court to adjourn the matter for October 30.
The Kerala Muslim man's marriage was annulled after the Kerala High Court described it as a "love jihad" case.
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