The Supreme Court of India has agreed to list for hearing next week a plea highlighting BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s sharp criticism of the apex court and Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna. The matter was brought before a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih, where the petitioner’s counsel emphasized the seriousness of Dubey’s remarks. In a viral video, the MP accused the CJI of being responsible for “civil wars” in the country, sparking derogatory discussions on social media targeting the judiciary. The petitioner demanded urgent directions for social media platforms to remove the controversial content.
Justice Gavai questioned whether the plea was for filing a contempt petition. The petitioner’s counsel responded affirmatively, noting that despite submitting a written request to Attorney General R Venkataramani for initiating contempt proceedings, no action had been taken so far. The bench, while refraining from immediate intervention, confirmed the plea would be heard next week. Meanwhile, the top court had informed another petitioner earlier that formal permission from the bench wasn’t required to file a contempt case against Dubey over the same remarks.
The controversy stems from Dubey’s comments following the Centre’s assurance to the court about withholding the implementation of some contentious provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Dubey had questioned the judiciary’s role, suggesting Parliament and state assemblies be shut if courts were to make laws. Reacting to the uproar, BJP distanced itself from his statement, with party president J P Nadda clarifying that the views expressed were personal and not endorsed by the party. He reiterated the BJP’s respect for the judiciary and instructed party members to refrain from making such remarks in the future.
