New Delhi: Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal on Thursday said, quite frankly, he was taken aback after watching a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud's house for Ganesh Puja and insisted that it sends a signal, which is unfortunate, and it should have been avoided.
Speaking with media persons here, Sibal said he saw the video being circulated on social media and added, "Quite frankly, I was taken aback".
"I have great respect for the present Chief Justice (of India). I can say without any hesitation that he is a man of great personal integrity. But I was really surprised when I saw this clip that was going viral," he said.
Sibal said no public functionary, whoever it may be, especially those who hold the highest office in the country, the President of India or the Prime Minister of India, or the Chief Justice of India, "should not publicise a private (function)….".
Sibal clarified that he was speaking in his personal capacity and not in the capacity as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
He said the Prime Minister of India should never have shown his interest to go to such a private function and added that this may send a wrong signal because the issue is not individual. "The issue is, what impact such a clip has on the minds of people," said Sibal.
Sibal said if there is gossip around it, then it is not fair on the institution (Supreme Court) and added one should not lend himself to be in a situation where people can gossip about the institution and start speculating.
"My religion and my way of expressing myself in the context of my beliefs is a private matter. It's not a public matter…..”, he said.
Sibal said in the contest of people holding the highest position in the country, what happens is that it ignites a debate which is unnecessary and harmful to the institution and there may be nothing behind it.
"There will be no motivation behind but there is speculation because of this, which is not good for the institution. Lastly, the court is deciding day-in and day-out issues relating to executive actions. Viral clip is circulated, then it may have implications, which are not fair to the individuals…," he said,
"I wish to say that once you do this, what message does it send to those in the High Courts in India and to the judiciary functioning at various levels in the country, and they also look upon these things. Therefore, that sends a signal, which is also unfortunate," added Sibal.
Sibal insisted that in his view it should best have been avoided and at the same time I request the media not to blow it out of proportion and not to start speculating personal motives.
"And I request the Prime Minister of India not to make a spectacle of events because there have been Maharashtrian Chief Justices in the past. It's not the first time that there is a Chief Justice from Maharashtra. And, in the context that there is going to be an election in Maharashtra, this is not an opportune time for the Prime Minister to have made a public spectacular (of a) private ceremony," said Sibal.
A massive political row has erupted over a video of the PM's visit to CJI's home for Ganesh Puja here. A section of opposition leaders has criticised the visit.
The veteran lawyer added that CJI Chandrachud may not have known that the video of the function would be publicised. "I have seen the greatest of judges, both past and the present. We are passionate about the institution, not passionate about any individual, but the institution," Sibal concluded.
