The Centre has no plans to impose President’s rule in West Bengal, which was hit by political violence in the run-up and the wake of the Lok Sabha elections this year, sensational crimes like the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder, and a slew of corruption allegations against senior figures of the ruling Trinamool Congress. There is no move to impose President’s rule in West Bengal, a top government source said, as the state continues to grapple with the ongoing protests by junior doctors against the ghastly crime and the latest proposed talks with the agitators and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee failing on Saturday evening.
The source also defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit last week to the residence of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud for Ganesh Puja celebrations, which had evoked criticism by some opposition parties. “Better to go openly than to go secretly,” the source said, asking if India’s judiciary “is so weak that judges will get influenced by a meeting”. “Such thinking is reflective of a weak mindset,” the source added. As Prime Minister Modi, who had donned a traditional Maharashtrian cap, reached the CJI’s residence, CJI Chandarchud and his wife welcomed him with folded hands, and all three were seen offering prayers to Lord Ganesha and performing aarti.
Opposition parties, including Congress, the NCP-SP, and the SS-UBT, had raised questions over PM Modi’s visit. Some called it “uncomforting,” and others went on to doubt the CJI’s ‘ability’ to conclude future hearings after this meeting.
The BJP quickly dismissed the baseless allegations by the INDIA bloc and cited earlier instances of meetings of the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India at various forums. Meanwhile, top sources privy to the details said that CJI Chandrachud has been sending invitations to several dignitaries as part of the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival, and top dignitaries from the government and judiciary are among daily visitors at his residence, especially for the evening Aarti. The government source said there had been no challenge to the Uniform Civil Code, set to be implemented in Uttarakhand in November after the hill state’s Assembly passed it in February of this year.
–IANS
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