The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi skipped the oath taking ceremony of Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the 51st CJI. President Droupadi Murmu, administered oath of office to him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi , Defence Minister Rajnath Singh , Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and former CJI J S Khehar had graced the occasion with their presence. However, Rahul Gandhi was missing in the oath taking in ceremony. This has sparked speculations on the decades old rivalry between Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s family and the Gandhi family.
The Speculation…
Notably, when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India, Justice Hans Raj Khanna, Justice Khanna’s uncle had opposed emergency. He was the only judge who dissented over emergency and had argued for upholding civil liberties. He had claimed that Article 21 of the constitution cannot be the sole repository of the fundamental rights to life and liberty.
Post this, in defiance of the custom of selecting the most senior judge to serve as the next Chief Justice. The government bypassed Justice Khanna for the position of CJI and appointed Justice Mirza Hameedullah Beg instead.
People perceived this decision, as a consequence of his dissenting opinion against Indira Gandhi, which affected his judicial career. Finally, depriving him from the position of the CJI.
BJP Slams Congress…
Vice president of BJP Mumbai Pradesh, Hitesh Jain criticised Congress for skipping the oath taking ceremony of the CJI. He took to X and tweeted, “Justice Sanjiv Khanna being sworn in today as the 51st Chief Justice of India—a proud and poetic moment of justice. Not only is CJI Khanna a distinguished jurist, but his appointment also stands as retribution for the sacrifices made by his uncle, the late Justice HR Khanna.”
He further Highlighted how Justice Khanna was denied the office of the CJI for his dissenting opinion over emergency. He tweeted, “Justice HR Khanna was denied the chance to be Chief Justice for one reason: he was the lone voice that dared to stand up against Congress’s darkest hour—the Emergency of 1975-1977. A regime so repressive, it crushed dissent and democracy under Indira Gandhi’s iron grip.”
Taking a swipe at the Congress, he added, “And yet, here we are, with Rahul Gandhi, claiming to be the “saviour” of our Constitution. This is the same Congress that abused power, changed the Constitution to suit their whims, and punished those who dared to stand by India’s democratic principles.”
Justice Sanjiv Khanna being sworn in today as the 51st Chief Justice of India—a proud and poetic moment of justice. Not only is CJI Khanna a distinguished jurist, but his appointment also stands as retribution for the sacrifices made by his uncle, the late Justice HR Khanna.…
— Hitesh Jain (@HiteshJ1973) November 11, 2024
He further added, “Congress’s call to “protect” the Constitution today is laughable. If given the chance, history shows they’d be the first to tear it apart. Justice HR Khanna’s story is a reminder that the DNA of the Congress party is rooted in tyranny, not democracy. Today let’s also remember that Justice HR Khanna legacy – a legacy of courage against Congress’s authoritarianism. We should never forget who tried to shred our Constitution and who stood to protect it.”
“Noticeably absent at today’s swearing-in ceremony: Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition. Clearly, the Congress legacy of Justice Khanna still lingers. Rahul Gandhi couldn’t even extend basic courtesy to Justice Sanjeev Khanna,” he added.
Congress’s call to “protect” the Constitution today is laughable. If given the chance, history shows they’d be the first to tear it apart. Justice HR Khanna’s story is a reminder that the DNA of the Congress party is rooted in tyranny, not democracy.
Today let’s also remember…
— Hitesh Jain (@HiteshJ1973) November 11, 2024
Meanwhile amid these speculations, Rahul Gandhi was seen campaigning for his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Wayanad, for the upcoming parliamentary by-polls.