Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Saturday questioned the Opposition for seeking impeachment proceedings against an Allahabad High Court judge, accusing it of trying to silence those speaking the truth.
Adityanath said that the judge, Justice Shekhar Yadav, had only called for a Uniform Civil Code and said that the country should be run as per the wishes of the majority.
“A Uniform Civil Code is indeed needed,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said. “The sentiments of the majority are respected the world over. If someone in India speaks about what is beneficial for the majority, if someone speaks that truth, is it a crime?”
However, Yadav, during his speech on December 8, had also uttered a slur used for Muslims who have been circumcised and described the community as “harmful to the country”.
The judge claimed that children from “one community”, implying Hindus, are taught values like compassion and non-violence, while those from “another community”, implying Muslims, were exposed to animal slaughter and lack tolerance.
Yadav had said that India would soon adopt a Uniform Civil Code – a common set of laws governing marriage, divorce, succession and adoption for all citizens.
On Saturday, Adityanath asked how Opposition parties could call themselves democratic despite seeking the impeachment of the Allahabad High Court judge who made the remarks.
“They [Opposition] go around carrying copies of the Constitution,” the chief minister said. “They do not have the slightest shame. They are those who are throttling the Constitution.”
In a similar vein, Adityanath questioned the Opposition for seeking impeachment proceedings against Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
“The vice president, on the strength of his ability and competence, is conducting the proceedings of the House and upholding the Constitution,” the chief minister said. “But the Opposition is worried about how a farmer’s son could reach such a high post.”
The Opposition, in the no-confidence motion, accused Dhankhar of conducting the proceedings of the Upper House of Parliament in an “extremely partisan manner”.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that his party was forced to move the no-confidence motion as Dhankhar was “not listening to the leader of Opposition; he is allowing the treasury bench MPs to make the wildest of charges, in the most objectionable language against our most senior leaders and they are being encouraged to do so.”
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