Kapil Sibal calls for impeachment of Allahabad High Court judge over 'hate speech'

 Sibal said the Supreme Court has the power to stop such people from sitting on that chair and till then it should be ensured that no case comes before him

PTI, New Delhi, 10.12.24 : Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Tuesday said Allahabad High Court Judge Shekhar Yadav, who made controversial remarks at a VHP function, has violated his oath of office by making a "hate speech" and asserted that he along with other opposition MPs will submit a notice to bring a motion to impeach the judge.

Sources said opposition MPs are likely to submit the notice in the next few days.

The judge made the remarks on Sunday while addressing a provincial convention of the Legal Cell and High Court Unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad in the Allahabad High Court.

A day later, videos of the judge speaking on provocative issues, including the law working according to the majority, were circulated widely, triggering a strong reaction from various opposition parties that questioned his reported statements and labelled them hate speech.

"Any judge who makes such a statement is violating his oath of office. If he is violating the oath of office he has no right to sit on that chair," Sibal said at a press conference.

"If a high court judge can make a speech like this then the question arises how do such people get appointed in the first place. The question also arises how do they get the courage to make such remarks. Question also arises why these things are happening in the last 10 years," the senior advocate said.

Sibal said the Supreme Court has the power to stop such people from sitting on that chair and till then it should be ensured that no case comes before him.

The Rajya Sabha MP's remarks made before the Supreme Court on Tuesday called for details from the Allahabad High Court after taking note of news reports of the speech of Justice Yadav, a sitting high court judge, delivered at a VHP function.

"I have spoken to some fellow leaders Digvijaya Singh (Congress), Vivek Tankha (Congress), Manoj Jha (RJD), Javed Ali (SP), and John Brittas (CPI(M), we will soon meet and we will bring an impeachment motion against the judge. There is no other way. This is hate speech in every sense of the word," Sibal said.

Veteran lawyer Sibal had read out the impeachment motion against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in 2018 and had also defended Supreme Court judge V. Ramaswami in 1993 when he faced an impeachment motion over charges of financial impropriety.