Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot deprecates attack on Justices Surya Kant, JB Pardiwala for their remarks on Nupur Sharma

The Chief Minister (CM) of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot on Saturday fired a salvo at the Central government, demanding how judges can be expected to function without fear or favour when they are attacked for their observations and judgments..In a no-holds-barred address, Gehlot who was speaking an event graced by Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju and Chief Justice of India NV Ramana highlighted the recent episode of the barrage of criticism which Supreme Court judges Justices Surya Kant, JB Pardiwala had to face for their remarks on former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.In this regard, he pointed out how retired judges and bureaucrats trained their guns on the two judges for their remarks."Recently Justices Surya Kant and Pardiwala said something. It is our duty to respect the judiciary. 116 people were made to stand up (against the two judges) including former High Court and Supreme Court judges, bureaucracy, officers and many others. I don't know how this was managed and an issue was created out of it. Supreme Court judges had observed something but this atmosphere was created," said Gehlot.Pertinently, Gehlot also highlighted how post-retirement concerns were also affecting functioning of judges. In this regard, he highlighted the Rajya Sabha membership of former Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi. “Imagine, four Supreme Court judges said ‘democracy is in danger‘, and the ones who said all this even had a CJI among them, (retired) Justice Ranjan Gogoi. I had asked the President of India ‘was Mr Gogoi fine before (during Supreme Court tenure) or is he fine now?’ This is beyond my understanding. Then he became a Member of Parliament,” Gehlot said.Gehlot was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 18th All India Legal Services Authorities’ Meet at Jaipur, Rajasthan.The Rajasthan CM also chose to deprecate overthrowing of elected State governments through horse trading of Members of Legislative Assemblies.“State governments are being overthrown. Goa, Manipur, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra. This Tamasha is going on or is there democracy? If elected governments are overthrown due to horse trading then.. I don't know how my government got saved. I would not be standing before you today. You would have met some other Chief Minister today,“ said the Chief Minister..Gehlot urged Law Minister Rijiju to speak with Prime Minister Narendra Modi so that unity and brotherhood is maintained in the country. “Situation in the country is riddled with communal strife. Democracy rests on tolerance. People listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that is why people vote for him. Shouldn't the Prime Minister address the nation and say that unity and brotherhood has to be maintained? He has to say that I will not accept violence at any cost. I believe the Law Minister can convince him. He does not listen to us. Today the situation is such that it's creating a lot of tension,” said Gehlot..[Follow our coverage of the event]