BJP Gave it Back to Congress showing Iftar at Manmohan Singh attended by CJI Balkrishna

 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hosted an ‘Iftar party’ in response to backlash from the Opposition following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attendance at Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud’s home for Ganesh Puja. In a reminiscent turn, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla pointed out that former PM Manmohan Singh had invited then CJI KG Balakrishnan to an Iftar party back in 2009, sharing old photos of the event as evidence. This move aimed to challenge the perception of the judiciary's safety during the previous administrations. However, his remarks mentioned that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in Ganesh Puja at the Chief Justice's residence, the perception emerged that the "integrity of the judiciary has been compromised." 

Member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Sambit Patra, criticized the Opposition for politicizing the incident and questioned whether the former Prime Minister attended Iftar gatherings with the previous Chief Justice of India. 

"The different branches of democracy should coordinate and show respect towards each other. They should not view each other as adversaries. It is a defining characteristic of democracy that diverse behaviors are exhibited while on and off duty," he stated during a press briefing. 

In reference to a recent photograph featuring Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alongside US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Sambit Patra remarked, "There is objection to the Prime Minister meeting the Chief Justice, yet no objection when Rahul Gandhi interacts with Ilhan Omar, the Premier of China, and signs Memorandums of Understanding... They raise concerns about Ganesh Puja, but did former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not attend Iftaar parties? Just as Iftaar is a festival, Ganpati is also a festival, so why the double standard?" 

Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav, also criticized the Opposition for turning the incident into a political issue. 

"Ganpati represents the deity of new beginnings. He embodies a representation of optimism. The collaboration of various sectors of the nation to commemorate the greatness of Ganesha is a positive indicator of a robust democracy, and is in line with our cultural values that emphasize collective celebration. Those who harbor negativity are encouraged to refrain from making disparaging remarks about events that hold significance in India's rich traditions for the betterment of society and religious harmony," he stated on X. "Please avoid diminishing the importance of our festivals," the minister added. Opposition queries Modi's visit to CJI's residence. A political dispute arose on Thursday regarding Modi's visit to CJI Chandrachud's home, as opposition figures, notably from the Shiv Sena (UBT), expressed apprehensions about the potential impact of the meeting on the judiciary's autonomy.