Chief Justice slams 'youngsters, like cockroaches, who don’t get jobs… become media and activists, attack everyone'

"There are already parasites of society who attack the system and you want to join hands with them," says CJI Kant to lawyer seeking Senior Advocate designation

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday used references to insects and parasites as he said jobless young people become social media and Right to Information (RTI) and "attack everyone".

The CJI remarked that he was waiting for an appropriate case to order a CBI investigation into the law degrees of many Delhi advocates, whose posts on social media he saw as problematic. (PTI File Photo)

The comments came as a bench of CJI Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was pulling up a lawyer who's been seeking Senior Advocate designation. "The entire world may be eligible to become senior (advocate), but at least you are not entitled," the bench told the petitioner, represented by lawyer Sanjay Dubey, as per news agency ANI.

CJI on ‘parasites in society’

The CJI, visibly angry, noted that even if the Delhi High Court were to now confer Senior Advocate designation upon the lawyer, the SC would set that aside. The CJI also referred to language used by the petitioner's lawyer on Facebook; (specific detail on the posts was not readily available).

That's when CJI Kant spoke of society at large.

"There are already parasites of society who attack the system and you want to join hands with them," he said.

"There are youngsters, like cockroaches, who don't get any employment or have any place in profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists and other activists, and they start attacking everyone," he further remarked.

The petitioner then apologised to the bench and sought permission to withdraw the petition; and that was permitted.

‘Thousands in black robes with doubtful degrees’

The court, however, also expressed concern over what it saw as a growing number of lawyers allegedly holding fake law degrees.

The CJI remarked that he was waiting for an appropriate case to order a CBI investigation into the law degrees of many Delhi advocates, whose posts on social media he saw as problematic

"I have serious doubts about the genuineness of their law degrees… the things they are posting on Facebook, YouTube, etc., do they think we are not watching?" he said.

“I will show you what discipline in the profession means,” the CJI said.

The bench said the Bar Council of India would not do anything on this issue as "they need their votes".