In a speech about the Indian judicial system, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju alleged that attempts were being made to tell the world that Indian democracy is in crisis.
Sharing a clip from his address, Rijiju said, “The Members of Tukde-Tukde Gang should better understand that India has embarked upon a journey of great rejuvenation under the leadership of Narendra Modi Ji. We the people of India will give them a befitting reply.”
As per the law minister, the gang receives active support from anti-India foreign entities
Systematically they will assault the credibility of the Indian democracy, Indian Govt, Judiciary & all Critical Organs like Defence, Election Commission, Investigating Agencies
Rijiju spoke while inaugurating a conference of the Centre’s counsels in the Eastern states on Saturday where he said the wisdom of judges was beyond public scrutiny.
Indian Judiciary is independent. And Indian Judiciary can never be forced to play the roles of opposition Party. No body can even question Indian democracy because democracy runs in our blood.A short clip of my remarks at Central Govt Law Officers Conference at Bhubaneswar pic.twitter.com/fSqrUo5qu4— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) March 4, 2023
“Indian judiciary cannot be questioned, especially the wisdom of judges cannot be put into public scrutiny," he said.
“At times, calibrated attempts are being made both inside and outside the country to tell the world that the Indian judiciary is in crisis. A message is being sent to the world that Indian democracy is in crisis. It is a deliberate attempt by some groups to malign the image of the country," he further said.
No campaign with ulterior motives can succeed in defaming India and its democratic setup, Rijiju said.
The US may stake claim to being the oldest democracy, but India truly is the “mother of democracy", he said.
Rijiju’s ‘Dig’ at Rahul Gandhi
Rijiju’s comments come in the wake of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s speech during a lecture at Cambridge University. He had claimed that Indian democracy is under attack and several politicians, including himself, are under surveillance
Gandhi also listed five key aspects of the alleged attack on Indian democracy — capture and control of the media and judiciary; surveillance and intimidation; coercion by federal law enforcement agencies; attacks on minorities, Dalits and tribals; and shutting down of dissent.
Noting that it was unfortunate that judges were being abused on social media, Rijiju said this was happening as some people were not aware of how the Indian judiciary functions.
“It is not a good sign when the judiciary is subjected to some kind of criticism. The judiciary must be far away from public criticism," he said, adding that the problem lies with the same group, which wants to force the judiciary to play the role of the opposition party.
“The Indian judiciary will never accept it. I am sure the judiciary will resist the forceful attempt to make it play the role of opposition. This cannot happen," he said.
The minister maintained it is because of the Constitution that the government is of the view that the appointment of judges cannot be done by judicial orders
The opinion of the executive and the judiciary may differ at times as not everyone can make the same observation, he said.
Rijiju said 65 redundant laws have been proposed to be repealed in the next session of Parliament. So far, 1,486 redundant laws have been removed.
He said the government wants to make India safe and secure, and so, it has to make stringent law
On the demand for a permanent bench of the high court in western Odisha, he said the Centre was ready to give its approval. This was if the state government submits a complete proposal.
(With PTI Inputs)
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