Stop manipulating the judicial system

This refers to the report, “Cong-led Opp moves for CJI's impeachment” (April 21). It is a very dark day in the history of independent India that attempts are being made to manipulate the judiciary for political gains. However, seeing the Congress’ track record, the present move isn’t surprising at all. The only difference between the earlier episode and the present one is that at that time, it was by allurement; while this time it is by intimidation after injecting a dose of politics in the judiciary. But people's memory is not short as not to recollect how, during Emergency, the grand old party manipulated the judiciary in the matter of Habeas Corpus case, as it is famously known since 1977. In that episode, the Government got for itself unrestricted power of detention taking away the right for the common man to go for any writ petition as enshrined under Article 226 of the Constitution .It is common knowledge that the then Chief Justice of India AN Ray was made beholden to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by appointing him to the post after superseding a number of senior judges. In the same manner, Justice MH Beg, who wrote about the almost maternal being bestowed on the Emergency detenues, was made the Chief Justice by superseding Justice HR Khanna who gave the dissenting judgement.

However, in this dark scenario created by the Congress, there is a ray of light. Not all political parties, opposed to the present Government, have gone along with the Congress in this dark deed.