No comment to Gopal Subramanium's allegations, says Govt

Government today refused to react to charges by noted lawyer Gopal Subramanium that his elevation as Supreme Court judge was stalled by it and he was being "targeted" because of his independence and integrity.

"I don't think it is appropriate for me as the Law Minister to make a comment on the matter. As far as Mr Gopal Subramanium's public comment is concerned, we have no comment to offer," Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.

"The appointment of SC judges being a sensitive matter, it will not be appropriate or desirable for me to make a comment and I don't wish to," he added.

He mentioned that the government has a role in the appointment but he would not comment.

His comment was sought on the former Solicitor General's accusations against the Narendra Modi government of ordering CBI to "scrounge" for "dirt" against him to scuttle his elevation.

Subramanium, who had assisted the SC in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case in which Modi's close aide Amit Shah is an accused, said he was being "targeted" because of his independence and integrity.

Asked about Congress attack on the government over the issue, Prasad hit back by reminding about the Emergency period during which "havoc" was played with the judiciary.

He made the mention of Emergency in the context of its anniversary which falls tomorrow.

"It would suffice to remind the Congress party that today is June 25 and tomorrow the 26th. It was almost 40 years ago that Emergency was imposed in the country (by the then Congress government)," the Minister said.

Congress leader Anand Sharma earlier alleged that the Modi government wants a "committed judiciary".

Reminding Sharma about Emergency, Prasad said, "How were judges superseded at that time and what kind of havoc was created with the institution of judiciary by the Congress government then is well known."