T’gana BJP slams INDIA bloc over impeachment move against Madras HC judge

The Telangana unit of the BJP sharply criticized the INDIA bloc parties for initiating an impeachment motion in Parliament against Madras High Court judge Justice G.R. Swaminathan. The opposition parties have reportedly cited his order related to a traditional lamp-lighting ritual at a Tamil Nadu temple as the reason for seeking his removal.

Telangana BJP chief spokesperson N.V. Subhash, in an official statement, said the move amounts to a “serious and unwarranted attack on the independence of the judiciary.” He accused the Congress-led alliance of consistently showing a troubling attitude towards constitutional institutions.

Subhash questioned whether it is really the BJP or the opposition that is weakening constitutional bodies. “Who is trying to interfere in religious practices to serve political interests?” he asked, adding that the Congress-DMK combine owes an answer to the nation.

While stating that the BJP does not believe in provocative rhetoric, Subhash said the party is compelled to point out how the cultural freedoms of the Hindu majority are increasingly being targeted by groups indulging in what he called “reckless appeasement politics.” With elections approaching in Tamil Nadu, he claimed that the DMK’s behaviour reflects a wider pattern visible among other INDIA bloc parties.

He questioned how a judge could be punished for issuing a legitimate order that protects a centuries-old Hindu temple tradition. Subhash argued that similar interference in the core practices of any other religion would spark widespread concern.

Subhash also criticized Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for quickly condemning the judge’s order, calling her remarks unfortunate and symptomatic of an attitude that disregards India’s multicultural values.

Several opposition MPs from the DMK and other INDIA bloc parties submitted the impeachment notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday. The controversy began after Justice Swaminathan directed that a long-standing lamp-lighting ritual at the Subramanyaswamy temple in Madurai district be allowed to continue.