'Gogoi was CJI': Ramdas Athawale unhappy with Congress action at Rajya Sabha oath-taking

As Opposition std a walkout amid oath-taking of former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale lambasted Congress party. Calling it a 'bad decision' by Congress party, Athawale backed mination of former CJI. 

Ramdas Athawale said, "Gogoi was Chief Justice of Supreme Court. This is t a good decision taken by Congress party."

Talking to media outside Parliament on Tuesday, Ramdas Athawale lauded mination of former CJI Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha. Highlighting Gogoi’s legal acumen, Athawale reckoned that Congress party was unnecessarily commenting on issue. He opined that former CJI’s vast experience will be very useful in Rajya Sabha.  

READ| Owaisi slams ex-CJI Gogoi's 'representing judiciary in legislative' reason for RS ticket

Ramdas Athawale remarked, “Ranjan Gogoi was Chief Justice of Supreme Court. He had retired a few days ago. Keeping in mind his experience- he has been a very big judge, his study of law is very good, I feel that appointment of Ranjan Gogoi is a very good thing. I feel that re is need for Congress party to comment on this.” 

Opposition attacks BJP

Opposition has targeted BJP for mination of Ranjan Gogoi as Rajya Sabha MP. Congress leader PL Punia while speaking with news ncy ANI had called it an act of patron of government towards Gogoi alleging that former CJI gave many verdicts in favour of NDA government. Congress leader Kapil Sibal had questioned mination of ex-CJI in Rajya Sabha and had accused Gogoi of 'compromising integrity of institution'. 

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called it ‘Quid Pro Quo’ furr raising questions how independence of judiciary will remain after inclusion of a former judge into legislative body. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra called ex-CJI a “greedy lord” and asked if he was “Politician or judge all along?” 

Breaking his silence as to why he has accepted Rajya Sabha mination, former CJI Ranjan Gogoi, on Tuesday, while speaking to a local channel said: "My presence in Parliament will be an opportunity to project views of Judiciary before legislature and vice versa. I have accepted mination to Rajya Sabha because of a strong conviction that legislature and judiciary must at some point work for nation-building," he said to a leading Assamese News channel.

READ| Here's why Congress says it walked out of Ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi's Rajya Sabha oathtaking

READ| Ramdas Athawale compares Coronavirus crisis to plague outbreak, hails Centre's efforts