New Delhi: Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad high court, who was earlier called by the Supreme Court over his remarks targeting Muslims at an event organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has written to the Chief Justice of the high court, saying that he stands by his remarks which according to him did not violate any principle of judicial conduct.
Justice Yadav has reportedly written in his response to Allahabad high court Chief Justice Arun Bhansali that his speech was an expression of thoughts on societal issues consistent with values enshrined in the Constitution, and not to create hatred towards any community, reported The Indian Express.
Chief Justice Bhansali had sought Justice Yadav’s response after the latter met Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on December 17.
The letter seeking Yadav’s response also referred to a complaint against his speech filed by a law student and a former IPS officer. It also referred to one of its orders relating to cow protection and questions raised by activists.
Yadav is known to have said in the response that cow protection reflects a society’s culture and is duly recognised by law.
In a controversial speech on the subject of Uniform Civil Code delivered in the library hall of the Allahabad high court on December 8, Justice Yadav used the derogatory term “kathmulla” and said that Muslim children could not be expected to be “tolerant” and “generous” as they are exposed to violence – “the slaughter of animals” – from an early stage.
In comparison, Yadav added, Hindus were taught about kindness from an early age and their children had non-violence and tolerance ingrained in them. Referring to the Hindu community, he said that India would function only as per the wishes of the “majority”.
The remarks drew immense backlash and a statement from the Bar Association of India condemning it. “These remarks are contrary to the principle of secularism as enshrined in the Constitution of India, in flagrant violation of the oath of office of a judge of Constitutional Court and strike at the very foundation of a fair and unbiased judiciary which sustains the Rule of Law,” the legal body said.
