The Congress in Kerala has launched an offensive against a High Court judge who through a judgement he pronounced on March 28 in a land deal case had showered scathing criticisms on Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his office even when the party is claiming that it is not in the habit of finding fault with the Judiciary when verdicts go against its interests.
Close on the heels of Congress’ Cultural Affairs Minister KC Joseph criticising Justice Haroon Al Rashid of the High Court for his observations against Chandy and his office by saying that “judges are not supposed to air opinions on all matters under the sky”, party MlA TN Prathapan has petitioned the Chief Justice of India against the judge.
The Youth Congress and Congress’ student wing Kerala Students’ Union had the other day held protest marches to the residence of Justice Rashid and had burned his effigies even when Chandy kept repeating that he held the Judiciary in high respect and would not blame it over judgements against him or his party.
Justice Rashid had made several sharp observations against Chandy and his office while ordering a CBI probe into the fraudulent land deals perpetrated by his former gunman Salim Raj. However, a two-judge division bench of the High Court had on Tuesday temporarily stayed two of these observations on the basis of an appeal filed by the Government.
The CPI(M) has come up with the allegation that the Congress and the UDF Government are trying to intimidate members of the Judiciary in order to save the Chief Minister just like they had done in the sensational palm oil case when Special Vigilance Judge PK Haneefa ordered an investigation into Chandy's alleged role in it.
Government Chief Whip PC George, also vice-chairman of the Kerala Congress (M), an ally of the Congress, had gone on an offensive against Judge Haneefa by leveling serious allegations against him and petitioning the President and the CJI. Unable to put up with the character assassination, Judge Haneefa recused himself from hearing the palm oil case.