While the BJP leaders have preferred to remain smug on the matter taking the line that it’s the former prime minister and the Congress leadership who have to answer the allegations leveled by the retired judge, the point cannot be missed that the government for now enjoys an upper hand in the game of political upmanship.
Justice Markandey Katju, now chairman of the Press Council of India, alleged in a news report under his byline in the Times of India on Monday morning that three former chief justices of Supreme Court – RC Lahoti, YK Sabharwal and KG Balakrishnan, allowed a corrupt judge to function in the Madras High Court despite an adverse report by the Intelligence Bureau on him. Their actions, he said, were the result of political pressure brought on then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by an ally from Tamil Nadu which had warned that it would quit the coalition if the judge was removed.
The matter relates to the period between 2004 and 2005, when Markandey Katju was chief justice of Madras High Court.
While questions have been asked about the timing of the revelation, a full decade after the alleged incident took place, there is no denying the fact that it puts the functioning of the judiciary and the role of the previous government under scanner. While Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha’s AIADMK raised hackles on the matter in both the houses of Parliament, the Congress has been scurrying for cover.
What has added to the woes of the Congress is the confirmation of the incident by then law minister HR Bhardwaj. ‘Around 18 SC/ST MPs met PM Manmohan Singh in 2004 and complained about injustice to the accused additional judge but ultimately, the Chief Justice of India cleared the appointment,’ Bhardwaj told a news channel after the report came out.While party leader Shashi Tharoor told reporters earlier in the day that matters relating to judges could not be discussed in the House, by evening the party had decided not to speak on matter even on channels or to newspapers. The Congress realises that Katju’s news report has given them a headache which would not go easily.