Amid Row Over PM Modi's Ganesh Puja Visit To CJI's House, BJP Slams Opposition With 'Iftar Party' Throwback

Amid backlash from the Opposition over Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud's home for a Ganesh Puja, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded by pointing out a similar instance from the past.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla shared old photos of former PM Manmohan Singh attending an Iftar party in 2009 with then-CJI KG Balakrishnan, stating that during that time, the Opposition believed "the judiciary was safe."

He contrasted this with the current criticism of PM Modi's visit to the CJI's house, adding, "now, when PM Narendra Modi attended Ganesh Puja at the Chief Justice's house, suddenly, the 'judiciary has been compromised.'"

BJP MP Sambit Patra also criticized the Opposition for "doing politics" over the event, asking if it was inappropriate for the pillars of democracy to show courtesies to each other.

He commented, "Should the 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 behaviors while being on and off duty."

Patra further referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's meeting with US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, questioning why there was no objection to that while PM Modi's visit to the CJI's house was being politicised.

He remarked, "You have an objection to the PM meeting the CJI but no objection when Rahul Gandhi meets Ilhan Omar... They have a problem with Ganesh Puja, but did the former PM Manmohan Singh not attend Iftar parties?"

Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav also weighed in, defending the event as a reflection of India's traditions.

He wrote on X, "Ganpati is the God of auspicious beginnings... Different arms of the country coming together to mark Ganesha's greatness is a welcome sign for a healthy democracy... Those filled with negativity must... refrain from casting aspersions on occasions that are symbolic of goodness."

However, opposition leaders, particularly from Shiv Sena (UBT), expressed concerns about the implications of Modi's visit on the judiciary's independence.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut remarked, "Our case of Maharashtra... the hearing is going on before CJI Chandrachud, so we have doubts if we will get justice because the PM is the other party in the case."

Priyanka Chaturvedi, another Shiv Sena MP, questioned if the CJI would now prioritise the Maharashtra case, hinting at potential political motivations with elections approaching in the state.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, commented on the event, saying, "There is going to be an election in Maharashtra. In that context, it was not the opportune time for the PM to have made a spectacle out of a private ceremony. My view is it was best that it should have been avoided."

While he acknowledged there was nothing wrong with the CJI inviting Modi, he criticised the publicisation of the meeting.