The BJP on Monday attacked Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for his absence from the oath-taking ceremony of Justice Surya Kant, the 53rd Chief Justice of India. The party said Gandhi’s decision showed “disrespect” towards B. R. Ambedkar and the Constitution.
Justice Surya Kant took the oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan in a ceremony attended by top national leaders. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath. PM Narendra Modi, Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan and other senior officials were present.
Rahul Gandhi ‘Disrespected’ the Constitution – BJP
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused Rahul Gandhi of deliberately skipping a crucial constitutional event. He noted that the ceremony held special importance, especially for Haryana, as Justice Surya Kant hails from the state.
Poonawalla said, “Today, when the entire country was in a sense celebrating, particularly Haryana, the Chief Justice of India’s oath ceremony and the entire government led by Modiji was present at the event, he skipped it, boycotted it.” He added, “Instead of attending this solemn programme, Rahul Gandhi may be on some foreign trip or jungle safari.”
The BJP claimed the Congress places “parivaar tantra” above democratic values. Poonawalla said, “It shows that his family, particularly him, talk about ‘samvidhan’, but they don’t respect Ambedkar and ‘samvidhan’.”
Justice Surya Kant Background & Tenure
Justice Surya Kant is known for serving on key constitutional benches. He was part of the rulings on the abrogation of Article 370 and the revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls. He took an oath in Hindi and invoked the name of God.
He succeeds Justice B. R. Gavai and will serve as Chief Justice of India until February 9, 2027. His tenure of nearly 15 months is seen as significant, given the number of major constitutional matters pending in the Supreme Court.
Congress Response to Allegations
While the BJP criticised Gandhi, senior Congress leaders countered that the ruling party was trying to politicise a formal constitutional event. They said attendance at such ceremonies is not mandatory. The Congress maintained that Rahul Gandhi has attended several key constitutional functions in the past and accused the BJP of creating “unnecessary controversy” for political gain.
Party leaders said the BJP should focus on supporting the judiciary rather than “diverting attention with personal attacks.” They argued that the new CJI should be allowed to begin his tenure without political noise overshadowing the event.
Ceremony Marked by High Political Visibility
The oath ceremony drew attention due to the presence of the country’s highest leadership. The BJP said this made Gandhi’s absence more “visible and intentional.” Analysts noted that such events often turn into political flashpoints, especially when opposition and ruling parties stand on opposite sides of national narratives.
The spotlight on Justice Surya Kant’s elevation comes at a time when the judiciary is set to handle several sensitive cases. His tenure is expected to shape major constitutional debates over the next year.
