Jaipur: Ashok Gehlot's remark that a "lot of corruption is happening in the judiciary" has triggered a row in Rajasthan, leaving a section of the lawyers angry who burnt an effigy of the Chief Minister at the high court premises on Thursday.
A PIL has also been filed against Gehlot in the high court for his remarks made on Wednesday, wherein he had stated that "today, a lot of corruption is happening in the judiciary. What many lawyers take in writing, the same judgment comes, What is happening inside the judiciary? The situation is serious and the countrymen should think about".
Former vice-president of the Bar Council of Rajasthan (BCR), Yogendra Singh Tanwar, has written to the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, urging the latter to take cognisance of Gehlot's remarks and consider his letter as a criminal complaint.
"Gehlot has given public statements accusing the judiciary of large-scale corruption. This has damaged the reputation of the judiciary. These derogatory comments not only harm the reputation of the judiciary, but also hinder the smooth functioning of the legal system," Tanwar wrote.
Advocate Shivcharan Gupta, who filed the PIL in the high court, said that Gehlot's remarks have embarrassed the judiciary besides tarnishing its reputation.
"Gehlot's comments come under the definition of contempt, so the high court should take cognisance under Article 215 of the Constitution and take necessary action," Gupta said.
Some lawyers also burnt Gehlot's effigy in the high court premises, demanding an immediately apology from the Chief Minister.
—IANS
