Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav courts controversy with 'remarks' about CJI Chandrachud on camera
PTC Web Desk: Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav stirred up a significant controversy on Monday after making an objectionable comment about Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud during a media interaction. His remarks were in response to a query about the CJI's recent comments regarding the Ayodhya dispute. Yadav, however, faced backlash for his statements and later retracted his comments, insisting that he had never been asked anything about the Chief Justice.
During the interaction, Yadav made a cryptic statement, saying, "I do not want to make any comments. When you bring ghosts back to life, when you bring the dead back to life, they become ghosts and start following justice. Where are they now?... Forget it, all such ******* people keep on saying such things. Should I take notice of them?" This remark was widely interpreted as being directed towards the Chief Justice, triggering criticism.
Yadav's retraction and clarification
Following the backlash, Ram Gopal Yadav attempted to clarify his position, denying that his remarks were aimed at the Chief Justice. He claimed that his comments were misinterpreted , insisting that he was responding to questions about violence in Bahraich, not about the CJI. "Nobody asked me anything about the CJI. The CJI is a very reputed person. I never made any comment (on him). I was asked about Bahraich (violence) and I responded to that," Yadav told news agency ANI.
Akhilesh Yadav's reacts
In response to the controversy, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav distanced himself from his uncle’s comments, stating that he was unaware of any objectionable remarks made by Ram Gopal Yadav. Akhilesh said his party had huge respect for the judiciary, saying, "We all respect the CJI."
CJI Chandrachud's statement on Ayodhya dispute
The controversy arose from Chief Justice DY Chandrachud's recent reflection on the Ayodhya dispute, during which he shared his personal experience before delivering the verdict. Speaking on Sunday, CJI Chandrachud mentioned that he had prayed for a peaceful resolution to the decades-long Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute before announcing the Supreme Court’s decision. "Very often we have cases (to adjudicate), but we don't arrive at a solution. Something similar happened during the Ayodhya (Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute) which was in front of me for three months," Chandrachud explained.
He added, "I sat before the deity and told him he needed to find a solution. Believe me, if you have faith, God will always find a way."
The Ayodhya Dispute
The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute is a historical and legal conflict over the land in Ayodhya where a 16th-century mosque stood. Hindu groups claim the mosque was built after demolishing a temple that marked the birthplace of Lord Ram, a revered figure in Hinduism. The dispute spanned decades, becoming one of India's most contentious legal and political issues.
The case saw its resolution on November 9, 2019, when a five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court, led by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and including Justice Chandrachud, delivered a landmark verdict. The Bench ruled in favour of building a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya while allocating a separate five-acre plot in the city for constructing a mosque. The decision brought an end to a nearly 70-year-old conflict and was aimed at restoring communal harmony.
- With inputs from agencies
