London: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant’s “cockroaches” comment last month — apparently used to describe frustrated, unemployed individuals who fail to establish themselves professionally and subsequently turn to social media, journalism and RTI activism to attack the system — was noticed outside the country as well.
And though the CJI issued a clarification the next day, stating that a section of the media misquoted him and that his comments were directed strictly at individuals utilising fake degrees to infiltrate professional fields, the issue has not been erased from public memory.
CJI Kant was witness to a tense exchange involving audience members at an event in Birkbeck, University of London where he was the main speaker, reported Hindustan Times.
The CJI delivered a lecture on ‘Artificial Intelligence and International Law’, but the attendees sought to ask him questions on dissent allegedly being suppressed in India. The anchor intervened to say those questions were off-topic.
Video clips are doing the round in which such a question is being asked, and one member of the audience shouting, “Give us some respect please!”
The clips of the exchange, apparently during an interactive part of the event after Kant’s lecture, were re-shared by Saurav Das, chief spokesperson of the online movement Cockroach Janta Party which is panning a big protest in Delhi on Saturday.
A video from CJI Surya Kant’s lecture at Birkbeck, University of London, has sparked discussion online after a question on dissent and democracy in India was cut short by the moderator.
However, the event was a scheduled academic lecture on Artificial Intelligence and… pic.twitter.com/xNISFhW8U7
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As seen in the video clips on X, began after one attendee said to the CJI during the session, “His Lordship made some very important points, I think, about the Indian track record of protecting democracy in the context of AI.”
“We now hear from a number of legal observers within the country as well as internationally that there’s a great deal of concern about growing hostility to dissent within India. And it does seem that this hostility is somewhat reflected in His Lordship’s speech and it’s very well publicised,” apparently referring to the CJI’s controversial remarks on May 15.
Before she could finish, one of the men on stage said, “With all due respect, I’m so sorry, I would not be able to take up that question since the topic is concerning artificial intelligence and international law. So sorry. I’m extremely sorry, I’m extremely sorry. We’ll have to cut it off.”
In another clip, one attendee can be seen protesting and demanding respect.
The CJI did not respond to any of the questions.