Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has strongly criticised former Union minister Maneka Gandhi for her public remarks questioning the Apex Court’s orders on the stray dog issue, observing that her statements amounted to contempt of court, reported LawBeat.
The Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria on January 20 expressed clear displeasure over Gandhi’s comments made in public forums, including a podcast, where she criticised the judiciary’s approach to stray dog regulation. Questioning Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran, who appeared for Gandhi, the Bench said the former minister had made sweeping and irresponsible remarks without restraint.
“You said the court should be circumspect in its remarks, but have you asked your client what kind of remarks she has made? Have you heard her podcast? She has made all kinds of comments against everybody without even thinking. Have you seen her body language?” the Bench remarked. The court noted that although Gandhi’s statements prima facie constituted contempt, it was refraining from initiating contempt proceedings purely out of magnanimity.
Justice Sandeep Mehta went a step further, asking Ramachandran what concrete steps or budgetary allocations Gandhi had facilitated during her tenure as a Union Minister to address the stray dog menace. In response, Ramachandran submitted that budgetary allocation was a policy matter and pointed out that he had even appeared for convicted terrorist Ajmal Kasab in the past. It was on January 13 that the top court had said it will ask states to pay a “heavy compensation” for dogbite incidents and hold dog feeders accountable for such cases.