Mamata defends remarks on judiciary

Kolkata: Facing criticism, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday defended her remarks on corruption in judiciary and said she was talking about reforms.

“My speech in the assembly is recorded, you can take a copy of that. I have talked about electoral reforms, judicial reforms and administrative reforms. If talking about our country’s drawbacks is a crime, I am ready to commit it a thousand times,” an animated Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.

“...I have talked about valueless judiciary. I have never called any judge or lawyer as corrupt. Every field has good and bad people. I have talked about the lack of values in various fields. What is the harm in that?” said Banerjee.

She said that in her speech she not only talked about the lack of values in judiciary but also in politics, the executive and the media.

Banerjee also defended her comments against judicial commissions, saying: “There are so many commissions and everyday the high officials are being summoned and they spend time answering their questions. When will the administration work if the officers spend time before the commissions?”

Earlier, contempt proceedings were moved against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday at the Calcutta High Court, for her comments against the judiciary system last Tuesday.

Speaking at a seminar in the House on the platinum jubilee of West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday, Benerjee had said, “Why should many judgments today be delivered for money? Why? I am sorry to say. I am saying this in the Assembly.”

As reported earlier, a section of lawyers filed a petition to start a suo motu contempt case, for her remarks inside the state legislative assembly.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice JN Patel and Justice Joymalyo Bagchi, refused to start suo motu proceedings against Banerjee after the matter was mentioned before it. The division bench instead asked the lawyers to move a petition if they wanted to.

The bench also observed that they were her personal comments and that the court was not perturbed by such comments. A section of lawyers also moved the court of Justice KJ Sengupta who said that he would hear the matter later.

Banerjee’s comments have earned her flak from all sections including from political parties and jurists for claiming that judicial orders could be bought for money.

“The Chief Minister should be more restrained in her comments, and understand the gravity and importance of her position,” said State Congress President and Rajya Sabha member Pradip Bhattacharyya.

Eminent lawyer, Arunabha Ghosh accused Banerjee of double standards. “During her fight in Singur and Nandigram, a number of judgments have gone in favour of Trinamool Congress. Then who were paying the jurist for those judgments,” he questioned.

Though the Congress central leadership tried to defend Banerjee, saying that at times internal criticism is required to strengthen the system, constitutional experts feel that Bnaerjee’s statement is in violation of her oath to office.

“When a person is sworn in a constitutional chair, he or she solemnizes to protect and uphold the constitution. But speaking against the judges, she had done the opposite,” said constitutional expert and ex-advocate general of India Soli Sorabji.

- with inputs from IANS