Ex-CJI takes oath amid uproar
Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Thursday took oath as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha amid sloganeering by Opposition members.
Mr Gogoi, who had given some landmark judgments, including politically sensitive RamjanambhoomiBabri Masjid title suit, Rafale deal, and had addressed an unprecedented joint press conference in 2018 flagging administrative issue in the Supreme Court, was greeted by treasury benches after he took oath while most of the Opposition members staged a walked out. Mr Gogoi’s family members, including his wife, daughter and son-in-law, accompanied him to Parliament.
As the House assembled in the morning, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu announced that a member will take oath or affirmation, which led to opposition members, led by the Congress shouting “shame shame” slogans.
Objecting to sloganeering, Mr Naidu remarked “this is not fair…very unfair and unbecoming of members of Parliament… we must all be aware of this…We know the Constitutional positions... we know the precedents… We know the powers of the President of India. We should not do anything like this in the House. Whatever views you have you can express outside... You are at liberty.”
Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “Rajya Sabha has a great tradition of many eminent persons coming from diverse fields, including former Chief Justices. Justice Gogoi who has taken oath today will surely contribute his best. It was grossly unfair to do that (walkout by Opposition members).”
As he was leaving Parliament, Mr Gogoi said, “They (Opposition) will welcome me very soon.” Rejecting allegations over his nomination to the Upper House, few months after his retirement from the apex court, Mr Gogoi had defended taking up the role, saying his presence in parliament will “be an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislative and vice versa”.