It’s never a dull day with PM Modi and Amit Shah around. And so, when the nomination of former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi by President Kovind was announced last evening, all hell broke loose. To the disappointment of many, there was not as much as a whiff of news regarding the same, which only catalyzed an unprecedented liberal meltdown on social media.
Chief Justice Gogoi had retired in November last year, after delivering a historic unanimous verdict in favour of a grand temple at the Ayodhya Ram Janmbhoomi. Following a massive outrage against the nomination, Gogoi said, “I will go to Delhi probably tomorrow. Let me first take oath, then I will speak in detail to the media why I accepted this…,”.
Notably, prior to assuming the office of Chief Justice, Ranjan Gogoi had spearheaded the ‘press conference’ fiasco in 2018 against the then CJI Deepak Misra. Along with three other senior most judges of the Supreme Court, Gogoi had claimed that there was selective assignment of cases to preferred judges, and that sensitive cases were given to junior judges. This bold briefing had made former CJI Gogoi a poster boy for the liberals and the opposition, particularly the Congress. As a matter of fact, CJI Gogoi’s father was Kesab Chandra Gogoi, former Chief Minister of Assam from the Congress party. The same Congress, which was ecstatic about Gogoi’s appointment as CJI is today despising him.
The same groups, same individuals, same media portals and same parties are today hammering not only the government, but also their former idol – Ranjan Gogoi. They are hammering the former for taking this ‘unprecedented’ decision, and the latter for ‘accepting’ the same, as if the President’s discretion is a non-existent factor in all of this. What was hoped for from Gogoi by these quarters were a series of anti-government verdicts, which definitely, no sane judge would oblige to unnecessarily. Instead, what was given was a clean chit to the Modi government on Rafale, no judicial overreach in the abrogation of Article 370 and of course, the Ram Mandir judgement which served as a final nail in the coffin of liberal dreams.
As the notification was issued, there was no clarity as to whether he would accept his nomination to the Rajya Sabha. With time, however, it became clear that the notification was issued only after his consent. Just as there is no clarity regarding what politics Ranjan Gogoi will pursue inside the upper house, although judicial reforms seem to be the primary reason for his acceptance of the nomination.
Hence, the comedy of tragedy began for liberals.
Shameful if he accepts. https://t.co/UuJvwWl1S4
— Saba Naqvi (@_sabanaqvi) March 16, 2020
I hope ex-cji Ranjan Gogoi would have the good sense to say 'NO' to the offer of Rajya Sabha seat to him. Otherwise he will cause incalculable damage to the reputation of the judiciary.
— Yashwant Sinha (@YashwantSinha) March 16, 2020
It's just so sad. The brazenness of it. Destroying constitutional propriety for a measly Rajya Sabha seat. #RanjanGogoi
— Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) March 16, 2020
So the price of killing the soul of our constitution was merely one Rajya-Sabha seat. wow! #RanjanGogoi pic.twitter.com/RW3gUaYofs
— Saral Patel (@SaralPatel) March 16, 2020
We are now reaching a point in India where being shameless is a badge of honour. #RanjanGogoi
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) March 16, 2020
We are now reaching a point in India where being shameless is a badge of honour. #RanjanGogoi
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) March 16, 2020
The Telegraph meanwhile couldn’t fathom what had just happened, and put out a distasteful article with a trashy headline, saying “Kovind, not COVID, did it”.
Once again, bold and brilliant @ttindiahttps://t.co/blZwxpCxnW pic.twitter.com/XbIt3dTwOM
— Nirjhari Sinha (@NirjhariSinha) March 17, 2020
The Wire called the move an ‘unprecedented’ one, and its American founder said this:
Yes, CJI Ranganath Mishra & J Baharul Islam went from SC to RS but this is 1st time a govt has nominated CJI (master of the roster) right after retirement! The 'chronology' & scale of what Modi-Shah-Gogoi have done—and the damage wrought—have no precedent https://t.co/MWG43euI6z
— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) March 16, 2020
“Noisy” judge indeed! (remember [his] Goenka lecture?). “The boy who wrote the best essay got the first prize” said CK Daphtary in 1973, when AN Ray was made CJI over the heads of three senior judges,” Raju Ramachandran wrote about Gogoi’s nomination. https://t.co/MWG43euI6z
— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) March 17, 2020
Meanwhile, many were somehow ‘shocked’ with the nomination, as though such a move was a first of its kind. They, however, conveniently forget the glorious journey of Justice Baharul Islam, from being a Rajya Sabha member from Congress for 10 years before somehow being appointed as a High Court judge, after which he was made a Supreme Court judge by Indira Gandhi. After retiring as an SC judge, he returned to the Rajya Sabha.
Ranjan Gogoi was a bet gone wrong for liberals. A specimen of which is given below, since the best needs to be kept for the last.
What a fall Ranjan Gogoi! Who knew your integrity was so cheap!
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) March 16, 2020
Ex CJI Ranjan Gogoi Played Well. Narendra Modi Paid Well
— Joy (@Joydas) March 16, 2020
Justice H R Khanna remembered for :
1) his integrity
2)standing up to govt.
3) upholding rule of lawRanjan Gogoi for
lapping up a Rajya Sabha nomination for
1) being saved by govt.
2) standing in line with it
3) compromising his own and the integrity of the institution— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) March 17, 2020
What is left for a virus to kill in a morally corrupt nation
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) March 16, 2020
Independent judiciary is a myth
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) March 17, 2020
Also, Rana Ayyub requires treatment.
