Former Chief Justice of India NV Ramana has said that cases were filed against his family members to “coerce” him by previous Jagan Mohan Reddy Government. Addressing the VIT-AP University 5th Convocation, Justice Ramana, without taking the previous YSRCP regime’s name, said even members of the judiciary who upheld the constitutional principles faced pressure and persecution. Families of judges who had no role became collateral to political organisations.
“All of you present, most of you present here, know how my family was targeted and criminal cases were filed against them. All this was done only to coerce me, and I was not alone. During that difficult phase, all those who empathised with the cause of the farmers faced intimidation and coercion,” he said on Saturday.
Justice Ramana was referring to the farmers’ agitation against then YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Government for scrapping Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh and espousing “three capitals” formula with Visakhapatnam being the administrative capital, Amaravati-Legislative capital and Kurnool- Judicial capital.
In such times, when many political leaders hesitated to take a stance or remain silent, it was the jurists, lawyers and the courts of this country who stood by their constitutional promise, he further said. While Governments may change, the courts and rule of law remain the anchor of stability. And the rule of law survives only when people repose their public trust, decline to surrender their integrity for convenience, he said.
“I salute the spirit of the farmers of Amaravati, who courageously withstood the forces of the Government mechanism. I draw a lot of inspiration from the farmers’ struggle. I also thank them for reposing their trust on the judicial system and the democratic process,” the former CJI said, recalling his association with Amaravati. After Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led Government took charge in Andhra Pradesh, the Amaravati capital project was revived and the works are now progressing at a faster pace.
The former CJI’s daughters were booked by the YSRCP Government for allegedly abusing their official position to buy land in Amaravati, having prior knowledge of its capital status before it was made public.
In 2020, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had stayed the investigation into the case of alleged corruption in which several persons including Justice Ramana’s daughters, were named. The High Court also issued an injunction against any reporting by the media on the contents of the First Information Report (FIR).
Soon after this, former Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy wrote to then CJI SA Bobde levelling serious allegations against Justice Ramana, who was next in line to become the CJI. The letter made waves as it was possibly the first-time ever in India that a politician in a ruling party wrote to the CJI regarding a senior judge.
Jagan alleged that Justice Ramana has been ‘influencing’ the functioning of the Andhra Pradesh High Court to act in favour of the TDP, which was in opposition at the time. Jagan alleged a “nexus” between Justice Ramana, the TDP and certain judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. He also accused him of influencing the HC’s roster and thereby the outcome of many cases. The Supreme Court dismissed Jagan’s complaint about a year later after an ‘in-house procedure’.
Addressing the audience at the convocation ceremony on November 1, Justice Ramana said, “Amaravati is very close to my heart because its soil, air and water have shaped my life as a student leader and a lawyer.” He said that the present-day Amaravati owes its existence to the resilience of the farmers of the region.
Narrating about the Amaravati farmers and landowners’ protest, Justice Ramana said, “During that difficult phase, all those who empathised with the cause of farmers faced intimidation and coercion. Even members of the judiciary who upheld constitutional principles faced transfers, pressure and persecution. Families of judges who had no role (in the matter) became collateral to political machinations,” he said.
Former Chief Justice of India said that in these testing times, many political leaders hesitated to take a stand and preferred silence. “It was jurists, lawyers and the courts which stood by their constitutional promise. While Governments may change, the courts and rule of law remain the anchor of stability,” he added.