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Democratic powers are being seized by a section of people: Mamata
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was speaking at the 14th convocation of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences in the presence of Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit
A section of people are seizing all democratic power and this poses a threat to the country’s federal structure, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday, adding that this may lead to a “presidential form of governance” in the country.
Banerjee was speaking at the 14th convocation of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS) in the presence of Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit.
“I request present and future leaders of judiciary. Please see to it that our federal structure remains intact. People are being unnecessarily harassed. All democratic powers are being seized by a section of people. If this goes on, then the country will move towards presidential form (of governance). Where is democracy? Please save democracy,” she said in her address, without naming any political party.
Chief Justice of Bangladesh Hasan Foez Siddique; chief justice of Kolkata high court Prakash Shrivastava and several former judges were also present at the event.
Banerjee also addressed CJI Lalit directly from the dias: “I don’t know whether I can use this platform or not, but I must congratulate our present Chief Justice Lalit Ji. He got only two months. So far as my knowledge goes, he is retiring on the 8th of next month. But during these two months, we have seen what is judiciary. People’s faith in the judiciary was restored. I am not saying people have lost their faith in judiciary. But nowadays, the situation is going from worse to worst...”
“Judiciary must save the people from the disaster, from injustice. Judiciary must hear the cry of the people. People are crying behind closed doors,” she added.
Banerjee also lashed out at the media saying trials were being conducted to guide the judiciary.
“I apologize if I have said something wrong but nowadays, the media is conducting trials before a court passes its verdict. Media is guiding the judiciary. Media cannot control the judiciary. These days, they accuse and abuse anybody,” said Banerjee.
“Our izzat (honour) is all that we have. If it is gone, everything is gone,” she further quipped.
Addressing the students, Banerjee said: “It is a historic day for you. Today, you will begin as layers and tomorrow, you will be sitting on the judge’s chair. The law is in the hands of the young generation. Please see to it that the judiciary remains for the people, of the people and by the people.”
“People go to court when they lose hope. We have the highest regard for the judiciary. It is like our temple, masjid and church. All lawyers must see to it that justice is served and peace, freedom of speech and liberty are maintained,” said Banerjee.
In his address to students, CJI Lalit advised students to keep their minds open to every suggestion and to have compassion for mankind and society.
Attributes of capacity building in different spheres and compassion for mankind will never fail a person in finding a solution to any problem, the CJI said.
As a lawyer, one never ceases to be a student of law, he said adding that as a professional, as an academician and as a judge, one keeps learning every passing day and year, but the foundation is there in law school.
Justice Lalit said that after stepping out of the walls of the university and embracing the world, law graduates should strive to give back to society something greater than what they have received.
Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, the guest of honour at the convocation, said in his address that the graduates, who may choose different professions from law to civil service, should do it with passion, dignity and a sense of honour.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed Banerjee’s remarks.
“This is not the first time she has addressed the judiciary in this manner and questioned our federal structure. She found no time to attend the state home ministers’ conclave held at Surajkund (Haryana) by Union home minister Amit Shah earlier this week. So many crucial issues were discussed there but our chief minister was absent,” said leader of the opposition in the Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari.
(WITH PTI INPUTS)
