Himanta: BJP wants independent courts

NEW DELHI: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday reaffirmed BJP’s commitment to upholding the independence and dignity of India’s judiciary, and accused Congress of repeatedly undermining its credibility as he highlighted multiple occasions where Congress criticised members of the judiciary when decisions were unfavourable for them.

He cited the unprecedented impeachment motion against former CJI Dipak Misra, led by Congress and other opposition parties, among other instances where the opposition has questioned the judiciary’s dignity.

In a detailed post on X, Sarma highlighted BJP president J P Nadda’s clarification distancing the party from MP Nishikant Dubey’s remarks about the SC.

Nadda stressed that Dubey’s comments were personal and did not reflect BJP’s official position. “It’s imperative for all political entities to approach judicial pronouncements with consistency and integrity. Respecting the judiciary shouldn’t be contingent upon the favourability of its decisions. Selective approbation erodes public trust and the foundational principles of our democracy,” Sarma posted on X, amid a row over Dubey’s remarks on the SC and the CJI Sanjiv Khanna.

Sarma said the impeachment motion against Justice Misra was initiated by Congress and other opposition parties while alleging “misconduct without substantial evidence”. “Justice Ranjan Gogoi: Subjected to severe criticism following landmark judgments, including the Ayodhya verdict,” Sarma said, adding that Justice Arun Mishra was allegedly “targeted” for his decisions and alleged proximity to the executive.