'Save democracy', Mamata urges CJI

Powers are being seized by a section, which might lead to a presidential form of government in the country.

MP | 31 Oct 2022 | Kolkata: Raising concerns over what she claimed to be the stifling of democracy in the country, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Sunday, urged the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to "save the democracy" and stated that powers were being seized by a section, which might lead to a presidential form of government in the country. 

Speaking at the convocation ceremony of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS) here, Banerjee urged the judiciary to ensure that the federal structure of the country remains intact. 

"All the democratic powers are being seized by a section of people; this might be going on for (bringing in) a presidential form of government," Banerjee, who was the chief guest at the convocation, said. 

Chief Justice of India, Justice UU Lalit, who is the Chancellor of the university, was also present on the occasion. 

The Chief Minister further claimed that people were being unnecessarily harassed. She also expressed her apprehension and claimed that the "federal structure was being disturbed". Banerjee, addressing the gathering, heaped praises on the Chief Justice and said that he had shown how the judiciary should be maintained in the past two months. "I must congratulate Justice UU Lalit. 

I don't know if I can use this platform to say this, but in two months, he has shown what the judiciary means," Banerjee said. 

Clarifying her point, she added: "I am not saying people had lost their faith in the judiciary but nowadays the situation has gone from bad to worse. The judiciary must save the people from injustice and hear their cries. Right now, people are crying behind closed doors." 

Congratulating the students, Banerjee said: "Justice is by the people, of the people and for the people." 

She also mentioned that the judiciary is not different from any religious places like the temple, mosques and churches. 

"Our lawyers and justices should come out to hear the grievances of the people and maintain freedom of speech and liberty of the people," Banerjee said. 

The Chief Minister also said that the NUJS is one of the most important institutions in the world where securing admission is not an easy task. 

She encouraged the students and said that the legal profession is one of the "best professions" in the world. 

The Chief Minister, taking a swipe at a section of the media, said that it was trying to guide the judiciary and the "media trials must stop". 

Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Hasan Foez Siddique, Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, Prakash Shrivastava along with state Law minister Moloy Ghatak, Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and Agriculture minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay were also present at the occasion. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/save-democracy-mamata-urges-cji-497538?infinitescroll=1