New Delhi: Openly expressing his criticism against the NDA government, former Solicitor General of India and senior lawyer Gopal Subramanium on Wednesday withdrew his candidature for his appointment as a Supreme Court judge. Subramamium said that he did so because the present government has apprehensions that he will not toe their line.
"The government has a problem with my independence. I can't go around saying pleasant things about everyone. I am not sworn to criticise the government. If they are doing the right thing, I will tell them so. I have consciously given this up because I want to be in a position where I can give advice and that can be done only as an individual," he said.
ALSO SEE Gopal Subramanium withdraws candidature for appointment as SC judge
Subaramanium also said that he has been let down by the judiciary as no one raised a voice against the government. "I am surprised that judiciary did not protest on what is happening. I want to say to the Judiciary, that you must take a stand and likes and dislikes must not be accommodated in the likes of your thinking," he said.
He added that his resignation was totally his won choice and not taken under any pressure. "No Judge ever wants to be an unwelcome visitor to the bench. I am not interested in being a SC judge and I have my reason for it," he said.
He admitted that there was a threat to his life at the time when he was an attorney in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case. "I did not want to get entangled in any (Sohrabuddin) case and I was asked to give my advice. The IB has consulted me several times during NDA 1 and I was treated with a lot of respect. I am known to be utterly independent which means I am inaccessible," he said.
Advicing the Prime Minister, Subramanium said, "he has an enormous responsibility and has a mandate from the people but I urge him to review and understand the position relating to what is the nature of judiciary and must be open to a somewhat interrogative, have a little disparate elements," he said.
In a letter written by the senior lawyer to Chief Justice of India in which he withdrew his candidature for appointment as an SC judge, Gopal Subramaniam wrote, "I am fully conscious that my independence as a lawyer is causing apprehensions that I will not toe the government line. This factor has been decisive in refusing to appoint me." He also alleged that there is a malicious campaign that is on to discredit him.
There has been a face-off between the Narendra Modi government and senior lawyer Gopal Subramanium as he was upset with the negative stories being planted against him in the media.
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