Delhi: Amid the raging controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud’s residence to attend Ganapati Puja celebration, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday reminded Congress about the then CJI KG Balakrishnan attending an Iftaar party hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2009.
Sharing throwback pictures of Singh and Balakrishnan engaged in a conversation at the Iftaar party on X, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla wrote, “Judiciary is safe”.
Mocking the Congress for the protests, Poonawalla added, “PM Modi attends Ganesh Puja at current CJI House – oh God Judiciary compromised.”
2009- PM Manmohan Singh’s Iftaar Party was attended by then CJI KG Balakrishnan- Sshhhh – Yeh Secular hai.. judiciary is safe!
PM Modi attends Ganesh Puja at current CJI House – oh God Judiciary compromised pic.twitter.com/vhkUdRRVHI
— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) September 12, 2024
A video of PM Modi being welcomed by Chandrachud and his wife, Kalpana Das, at their home, and him performing aarti of Ganapati idol had gone viral on social media Wednesday evening. Soon, criticism from Opposition party leaders started pouring in, with Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut suggesting that it would raise doubt in people’s minds about the judiciary’s impartiality.
Also Read: ‘Our Concern Is…’: PM Modi’s Visit To CJI’s Residence For Ganapati Puja Sparks Row
On Thursday, BJP MP Sambit Patra also addressed a press conference and questioned the Opposition for attacking the Prime Minister for participating in Ganpati festivities at the CJI’s home. “You have an objection to the PM meeting the CJI but no objection when Rahul Gandhi meets Ilhan Omar, the Chinese Premiere and signs MoU, George Soros… They have a problem with Ganesh Puja, but did the former PM Manmohan Singh not attend Iftaar parties?…”
Accusing the Opposing of engaging in petty politics over the issue, he asked why different pillars of democracy not converge? “Should they be enemies?… Should they have no courtesies towards each other?… This is the beauty of democracy that there are different behaviours while being on and off duty….”