Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, on Sunday, April 20, lashed out at BJP MP Nishikant Dubey after the latter questioned the judiciary’s role amid the ongoing Supreme Court review of the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
Owaisi said Dubey’s comments were a blatant attempt to intimidate the judiciary.
In a sarcastic tone, he indirectly referred to Dubey as ‘tubelight.’ “You people are tube lights… Do you know what Article 142 (of the Constitution) is? It was framed by BR Ambedkar,” he said.
Owaisi further accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of threatening to incite a religious war. “You people are in power and you have become so radicalised that you are threatening court of a religious war…Modi ji, if you don’t stop these people, the country will become weak. Country won’t forgive you and tomorrow you won’t be in power,” Owaisi said.
The previous day, Dubey questioned the judiciary’s role in legislative matters, suggesting that if courts assume the task of lawmaking, the existence of Parliament becomes redundant.
Taking to the social media platform X, Dubey posted in Hindi (translated in English): “If the Supreme Court is going to make the laws, then the Parliament building should be shut down.”
The post was widely interpreted as a veiled criticism of the judiciary’s involvement in scrutinising and possibly suspending aspects of the legislation.
SC lawyer writes to Attorney General on Dubey’s remarks
A Supreme Court lawyer representing one of the litigants in the Waqf Act case has written to Attorney General R Venkatramani seeking consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Dubey over his “grossly scandalous” remarks “aimed at lowering the dignity” of the top court.
In his letter to the attorney general, advocate Anas Tanveer said Dubey’s remarks are “deeply derogatory and dangerously provocative”.
“I am writing this letter under Section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, read with Rule 3(c) of the Rules to Regulate Proceedings for Contempt of the Supreme Court, 1975, to humbly seek your kind consent for initiating criminal contempt proceedings against Shri Nishikant Dubey, Hon’ble Member of Lok Sabha from Godda parliamentary constituency in Jharkhand, for statements made by him in public that are grossly scandalous, misleading, and aimed at lowering the dignity and authority of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” the letter said.
BJP distances from Dubey’s remarks
The BJP on Saturday distanced itself from Dubey’s criticism of the Supreme Court, with party president J P Nadda calling the comments his personal views.
He also affirmed the ruling party’s respect for the judiciary as an inseparable part of democracy.
Nadda said he had directed party leaders not to make such comments.
(With PTI inputs)
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