Assam CM Targets Congress For Undermining Judiciary Says It Targeted Judges

Stressing the importance of maintaining consistency and integrity while responding to judicial decisions, Assam chief minister in his social media post said, “Respecting the judiciary shouldn't be contingent upon the favorability of its decisions. Selective approbation erodes public trust and the foundational principles of our democracy.”

Mr Sarma pointed to several past instances where, he alleged, the Congress had attempted to discredit judges and judicial rulings. He recalled the impeachment motion against then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, calling it a politically motivated move "initiated without substantial evidence."

He further cited the backlash against former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi after his verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case and noted that Justice Arun Mishra was "targeted for his judgments and perceived proximity to the executive."

Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, now the Chief Justice of India, also faced "undue scrutiny," noted Mr Sarma, claiming that this reflected a pattern where opposition criticism intensified whenever judicial outcomes did not meet their political expectations.

He also targeted the Congress’s criticism of Justice S. Abdul Nazeer’s appointment as Governor of Andhra Pradesh soon after his retirement, stating that similar appointments had been made in the past without controversy.

"Despite similar appointments in the past, Congress alleged that Justice Nazeer’s gubernatorial role compromised judicial independence," CM Sarma posted.

Mr Sarma also defended his party’s stand on the judiciary while asserting that the party "honours the judiciary's role impartially" and distanced itself from Mr Dubey’s remarks. He added that BJP president J.P. Nadda had made it clear that the controversial statements were Mr Dubey’s personal views and did not reflect the party’s position.

The controversy erupted after Mr Nishikant Dubey, MP from Godda (Jharkhand), made inflammatory remarks accusing the Supreme Court of "inciting religious wars" and questioned its legislative authority. He went as far as saying the Parliament building should be shut down if courts were going to make laws, and blamed Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna for "all civil wars happening in the country."

Mr Dubey had also targeted previous Supreme Court decisions, including the decriminalisation of homosexuality and rulings on religious matters, further fuelling the political controversy.

The Congress has demanded accountability for Mr Dubey’s statements, calling them an attack on the independence of the judiciary and a threat to the constitution.