New Delhi: Even as a letter by Justice Kurian Joseph to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over scheduling of three-day long judges conference during the Good Friday ceremonies has stirred controversy, Chief Justice of India (CJI) HL Dattu refused to react in the matter on Saturday.
"No comments," Justice Dattu said when asked about his reaction to the views expressed by Justice Joseph in his letter to Modi.
He also denied reports that Supreme Court judge, Justice Vikramjit Sen had expressed similar objections like Justice Joseph.
"There was no confrontation, no statement, no objection from Justice Vikramjit Sen. This was wrongly reported...," he said, adding that Justice Sen did not communicate and "even talked" with him on the issue.
"There was no communication from Justice Sen regarding any disagreement with regard to the conference and it is wrongly reported by media," he said.
The CJI was answering queries of media persons while emerging out of the reception hosted by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to felicitate Supreme Court judges and Chief Justices of 24 High Courts who have been here for the three day conference.
On being asked whether he is attending the Prime Minister's dinner tonight, the Chief Justice said, "I am definitely attending Prime Minister's dinner tonight. Why should I not?".
Justice Joseph had written a letter to the PM on April 1 expressing his inability to attend a dinner and expressed his concerns in the matter.
In his letter to Modi, he expressed his inability to accept the dinner invitation stating that he will be his family in Kerala on Good Friday.
"Irrespective of the religion, Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Eid, Bakrid, Christmas, Easter etc. Are great days of festival celebrations in the neighbourhood. Your good self would kindly appreciate that no important programmes are held during sacred and auspicious days of Diwali, Dussehra, Holi, Eid, Bakrid etc., though we have holidays during that period as well," he wrote in the letter.
He added, “Our religious and cultural festivals and hues, irrespective of caste and creed, have contributed to the vibrancy of our rich pluralistic culture and ethos. The whole world jealously looks at the beauty of the secular image, communal harmony and cultural integrity of our great Nation. India must in these trying times, safeguard her credentials and be a model that other nations must follow."
Apart from Modi, Justice Joseph also wrote to the CJI.
It stated, “I may with deep anguish bring to your kind notice that such an important conference should not have been held when some of us, otherwise expected to be part of the event, or otherwise committed on account of the holy days when we have religious ceremonies and family get-together as well.”
However, Justice Dattu hit back, saying the question the Justice had to ask himself, as he cannot ask the judge, is "whether it is institutional interest or individual interest that one should preference to".
The CJI got support from a former apex court judge Justice KT Thomas asking why Christians cannot work on Good Friday.
Chief Ministers of various states would join the judges on third day of the conference when Prime Minister Narendra Modi would address them and the legal luminaries.
(With Agencies Inputs)
