India: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Sanjay Raut slams Calcutta high court judge over aspirations to join politics

Political party Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and member of the upper house of the Indian parliament (Rajya Sabha) Sanjay Raut, on Monday (Mar 4) slammed Calcutta high court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay for joining politics.

The party leader from the state of Maharashtra suggested that even when the judges “resign” and join politics it means that they were working for a particular party as opposed to delivering justice.

“If sitting judges of the High Court and Supreme Court resign and join a particular political party, it means they were not delivering justice, but working for the party,” Raut told reporters in Mumbai when asked about the decision.

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This comes a day after West Bengal’s ruling TMC, on Sunday, made similar allegations against Gangopadhyay as Raut did saying that he was a “political worker” and his decision to join politics laid bare his anti-TMC bias.

“We have been saying for long that he is a political party worker. We thank him today for proving us right,” TMC state spokesperson Debangshu Bhattacharya quipped.

Gangopadhyay to join politics

Gangopadhyay on Sunday (Mar 3) said he was leaving the judiciary and joining politics, a move welcomed by both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress.

The Calcutta HC judge is known for having fierce conflicts with West Bengal’s ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) party.

“For the last two or more years I have been dealing with some matters, especially education matters, regarding which a huge corruption has been discovered and unearthed,” Gangopadhyay told news agency ANI.

He added, “A large number of important persons in the education sector of this government (TMC) are now languishing in jail, under trial. Thereafter, now I am taking labour matters.”

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The Calcutta high court justice went on to talk about how “only the political field can give people who want to take steps in respect of those helpless people a chance to act for them.”

Both BJP and Congress welcomeGangopadhyay

While Gangopadhyay did not say which party he would join, both Congress and BJP have welcomed him.

BJP said people like Gangopadhyay should be joining politics to do our country a favour. “People like Abhijit Gangopadhyay joining politics is something that is in the country’s favour. I guess the BJP would be his natural choice,” said state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “He is a crusader against corruption. If he wants to join the Congress, we will give him a warm welcome. He is a fighter. If he joins the BJP, then ideologically we can’t support (him).”

(With inputs from agencies)