‘Elections round the corner’: Row erupts after PM Modi visits CJI Chandrachud’s home for Ganpati Puja

A row erupted in the Opposition circles after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Chief Justice Chandrachud's residence in New Delhi on Wednesday, September 11, evening to attend Ganpati Puja celebrations on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. As a video and pictures of PM Modi performing puja at CJI's residence emerged, an enraged Opposition and some lawyers of the Supreme Court reacted sharply to it, saying it “compromised the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary”. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut suggested that the Chief Justice should recuse himself from a case involving the conflict between Shiv Sena UBT and the Eknath Shinde-led faction.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has, however, hit out at the Opposition, calling their reactions “reckless” and “baseless aspersions” on the highest court.

A video, shared by news agency ANI, showed CJI Chandrachud and his wife Kalpana Das were seen welcoming PM Modi at their house. PM Modi also shared a picture of the Ganpati Puja at the CJI's home.

He said, “Joined Ganesh Puja at the residence of CJI, Justice DY Chandrachud Ji. May Bhagwan Shri Ganesh bless us all with happiness, prosperity and wonderful health,” triggering reactions.

OPPOSITION REACTS

Sanjay Raut said, “Ganpathi festival is going on, people visit each other's houses. I don't have info regarding how many houses PM visited so far...but PM went to CJI's house and they together performed 'Aarti'...if a custodian of the Constitution meets politicians, it can create doubt in the minds of people.”

“Our case of Maharashtra...the hearing is going on before CJI Chandrachud so we have doubt if we will get justice because PM is the other party in the case. In our case, other party is the central govt...Chief Justice should distance himself from this case because his relation with the other party in the case is openly visible. Will CJI Chandrachud be able to give us justice in such a situation? We are getting dates after dates and an illegal govt is going on….The CJI who is supposed to give us justice, with him PM has such a bond so yesterday a doubt was formed in the minds of Maharashtra,” he said.

Party MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also highlighted that elections are coming in Maharashtra and the case may get adjourned, suggesting a bonhomie between the prime minister and the Chief Justice of India.

“After the festivities are over hopefully CJI will deem fit and be slightly freer to conclude the hearing on Maharashtra and the blatant disregard of Article 10 of the Constitution in Maharashtra. Oh wait, elections round the corner anyway, it can be adjourned for another day,” she said.

Senior lawyer Indira Jaising said the Chief Justice of India has compromised the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary. “Lost all confidence in the independence of the CJI. The SCBA (Supreme Court Bar Association) must condemn this publicly displayed compromise of Independence of the CJI from the executive,” she said in her post on X.

HOW DID BJP REACT?

Hitting back, BJP national general secretary (Organisation) BL Santhosh said though left liberals have started crying over the prime minister attending the event at the CJI's residence, "it was not socialising but a devoted Ganapathi Pooja".

"Started crying! Civility, cordiality, togetherness, co travellers in nations journey are all an anathema to these left liberals. Also it was not socialising but a devoted Ganapathi Pooja is very hard to digest. SCBA is not a moral compass. Take deep breath once," Santhosh said in a post on X reacting to Jaising's comments.

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora also flayed the critics and said it's unfortunate to see "reckless commentary" on PM Modi's visit to the CJI's residence for Ganapati Aarti. "When verdicts favour them, the opposition praises the Supreme Court's credibility, but when things don't go their way, they conveniently claim the judiciary is compromised," he charged in a post on X

(With agency inputs)