CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on Monday (Dec 9) wrote to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna demanding action against Allahabad High Court judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav for his comment that the country will function according to the wishes of the majority living here. The All India Lawyers Union also protested against the comments made by Justice Yadav at a meeting organised by the VHP, saying democracy is not majoritarianism or religious majoritarianism and Justice Yadav’s expression and concept of democracy is ‘nothing less than of Hindutva Rashtra’.
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NEW DELHI: CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat has written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, urging action against Allahabad High Court judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav for his controversial remarks asserting that
“the country will function according to the wishes of the majority living here.”
Justice Yadav reportedly made these comments during a meeting organized by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). The remarks have sparked widespread criticism, including from the All India Lawyers Union (AILU), which strongly opposed the judge’s statement.
The AILU clarified that
“democracy is not majoritarianism or religious majoritarianism”
and described Justice Yadav’s concept of democracy as
“nothing less than of Hindutva Rashtra.”
Brinda Karat Calls It a ‘Hate Speech’
In her letter, Karat characterized Justice Yadav’s remarks as “hate speech” and argued that his words violated the constitutional oath taken when he assumed office as a judge. She expressed grave concerns over the implications of such remarks on judicial impartiality, stating:
“This speech is an affront to the collective conscience of a secular and democratic country. That it should have been made by a justice of the Allahabad High Court is also an assault on the processes of justice. No litigant can hope for justice in a court in which a member holds such a biased, prejudiced, publicly expressed opinion against the minority community and in favor of a majoritarian approach.”
AILU Demands Action
The AILU, represented by its president and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha floor leader Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya, along with General Secretary PV Surendranath, also voiced their disapproval in a strongly-worded statement.
They stated their “strong disagreement and protest” against Justice Yadav’s comments and called for immediate action.
The AILU demanded intervention from President Droupadi Murmu and Chief Justice Khanna, urging them to initiate proceedings against the judge to uphold judicial integrity.
Broader Implications
The remarks by Justice Yadav have reignited debates about the balance between judicial impartiality and personal ideology, particularly in a diverse and secular democracy like India.
Critics argue that statements endorsing majoritarianism undermine the Constitution’s commitment to secularism and equal justice for all citizens.
This incident has added to the growing discourse on ensuring judicial accountability and maintaining the separation between personal beliefs and professional obligations in India’s judiciary.
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