The issue of extension to a Madras High Court judge under corruption cloud figured within and outside the Parliament for the third consecutive day on Wednesday with AIADMK and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu seeking former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s response in the matter.
While AIADMK leader V Maitreyan raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour saying Singh owes “an explanation to the nation,” Naidu said outside the Parliament that the former Prime Minister should make a “categorical” statement. He said Singh’s silence was an indication that “there is something to hide and in the interest of justice the former Prime Minister should come out and make a categorical statement about what exactly happened. Was he really under pressureIJ”
The sequence of events about granting extension to the judge was first brought out by former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju and it showed how the government was functioning during the UPA regime, Naidu charged adding the erstwhile regime was trying to compromise on each and every issue. Urging the former Prime Minister to come clean on the issue, the minister also said the people of India have a right to know and a statement by Singh will enhance the image of judiciary and remove misgivings.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, Maitreyan said the Prime Minister’s Office(PMO), during Manmohan Singh’s tenure, had asked why the Supreme Court collegium had not recommended extension for the judge. The AIADMK member then said, “Singh owes an answer to the country. He should break his silence. His silence only confirms the allegation.” He also sought a statement from law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on the issue.
Singh was present in the House when Maitreyan raised the issue and many Congress MPs protested against his demand. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the former Prime Minister was not liable to answer. “He is not the Prime Minister anymore. He is not expected to answer,” he said. Prasad said he has taken note of Maitreyan’s concern.
In the lok Sabha also, the AIADMK raised the issue and wanted to know whether the government would look into the matter. AIADMK leader M Thambidurai wanted to know who were the DMK Ministers involved in the matter and also cited reports that former Prime Minister’s Office was involved in the judicial appointments.
Meanwhile, eminent jurist Fali Nariman said the outburst by Katju was “unbecoming” of a dignitary who was once a judge of the Supreme Court. He, however, said Katju’s remarks are “not untimely.” The matter has now entered the public domain and let the responses of the three retired Chief Justices be clear and unambiguous, Nariman said, and asked did they or did they not buckle under pressure.
For its part, the Congress said that the party believes that the entire episode seems to have been engineered by the government of the day at the Centre to humiliate the Collegium. AICC general secretary Shakeel Ahmad said there are insinuations in political circles that “very important and influential people in the government” are involved.
Ahmad also said that Congress the is the first one to institute a judicial commission to bring transparency in the appointments of judges but that was initially opposed by the present ruling dispensation.
Asked about the talk that the former Justice has deliberately spread the controversy to seek an extension as Chairman of the Press Council of India, Ahmed said Justice Katju is an outspoken person. On a question as to why Manmohan Singh is not coming out clean on the issue, he said that the former PM has already made a statement that former law minister HR Bhardwaj has clarified on the subject.