New Delhi: In an apparent bid to defuse the tension arising from the founding of the social media group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), as a satirical response to his remark on those who “attack the system”, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asked a lawyer on Monday not to take the issue “sentimentally”.
The lawyer had moved a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) stating that a malicious narrative was being used to show the judiciary in poor light despite a clarification by the CJI.
The PIL seeks directions that courtroom exchanges not be used for commercial purposes. A separate PIL has sought an investigation into the activities associated with the CJP.
“Even after the clarification of the Hon’ble CJI, a distorted and malicious narrative is being (spread),” the lawyer said, seeking urgent hearing of the PILs.
“Don’t take it so sentimentally,” CJI Kant replied, as reported by The Indian Express.
On May 15, the CJI has expressed displeasure with a lawyer for seeking elevation to the position of senior advocate. The CJI had questioned if “pursuing” the designation looked proper.
“There are already parasites of society who attack the system, and you want to join hands with them? There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don’t get any employment or have any place in (the) profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists and other activists, and they start attacking everyone,” he said.
CJI Kant issued a clarification after his remarks led to an outrage. It is “totally baseless” to suggest that he criticised the youth, he said.
“What I had specifically criticised were those who have entered professions like the Bar (legal profession) with the aid of fake and bogus degrees. Similar persons have sneaked into the media, social media, and other noble professions as well, and hence, they are like parasites. It is totally baseless to suggest that I criticised the youth of our nation. Not only am I proud of our present and future human resource, but every youth of India inspires me,” he said.
In response to the CJI’s initial remarks, Abhijeet Dipke (30), originally from Maharashtra, who claims to be in the US now, announced a platform for “cockroaches”.
On Thursday, the X account of CJP was withheld in India. The Indian Express reported that this was done at the direction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) after inputs from the Intelligence Bureau flagging “national security concerns”. Soon after, Dipke announced a new handle on X, named ‘Cockroach is back’, and urged people to join it.