In farewell speech, Calcutta HC Judge Chitta Ranjan Dash says he ‘was, is RSS member’ — ‘ready to return’

Justice Dash says his association with RSS began in his childhood, it 'did not influence' his duties as a judge but helped him to be 'courageous, upright & patriotic'.

Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash at the Full Court Reference on the occasion of farewell | Photo: YouTube, High Court at Calcutta

Kolkata: While retiring from the Calcutta High Court, Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash announced during a full-court reference Monday that he “was and is” a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and is ready to “go back” to the organisation.

“I owe a lot to an organisation, which is a mercenary organisation. I was in it from my childhood, till I attained youth. I have learnt to be courageous, upright and have an equal view for others and, above all, a sense of patriotism and commitment to the work. And to the distaste of some persons, I must admit here that I was and I am a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,” he said in his farewell speech with Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court seated next to him and fellow judges and members of the Bar present.

Justice Dash, who was transferred from the Orissa HC to Calcutta HC in June 2022, added that he had distanced himself from the RSS for about 37 years and that his association with them didn’t influence his duties as a judge.

“I have never used my membership with the organisation for any advancement in my career because it is against the principal of the organisation. I have treated everybody — be it rich or poor, a Communist, or from the Congress or BJP or TMC— as equals before me. From my conduct you must have seen I did not hold any bias towards anybody, or any bias or any particular philosophy or political mechanisms. All were equal for me,” he said.

Justice Dash said that he was ready to go back to the RSS as he bids farewell to his judicial career.

“I tried to dispense justice on two principles — first, empathy, and second that laws can be bent for justice, but justice cannot be bent to suit the law. I am ready now to go back to the organisation if they call me for any assistance or any work they need and I am capable of doing. Because I have not done anything wrong in my life, I had the courage to say that I belong to the organisation. Because that is also not wrong. If I am a good person, I cannot belong to a bad organisation.”

Justice Dash’s life & career

A resident of Odisha, Dash lost his father at the age of 27. Talking about his childhood, he said that after his death it was his three sisters who supported him emotionally to overcome this dark phase of his life.

He enrolled as an advocate in 1986, after obtaining a Master of Laws (LL. M.) degree from Utkal University, and joined the office of justice (former) A.S. Naidu as a junior.

During his career, he has presided over the criminal, civil and constitutional benches of Both the Orissa and Calcutta High Courts.

Speaking about his tenure at Calcutta HC, Dash reflected on how it has lost its sheen and urged the advocates to restore its legacy.

“This court was the first law giver of the nation. Any field of jurisprudence you visit, the origin must be Calcutta High Court. But it is a matter of disappointment today that the Calcutta High Court has lost that leadership in the pan-India scenario. I would urge the members of the Bar, especially the junior members of the Bar who are the future of this court, to bring back that legacy to life again. That will give me immense happiness,” he said.

Dash has also courted controversy in his judicial career for remarks during a judgment in a POCSO case last year, advising adolescent girls to control their “sexual urges”. He said this while the division bench he was a part of sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for engaging in a sexual relationship with a minor girl. The Supreme Court had criticised the Calcutta High Court’s judgment, stating that “writing such judgments is absolutely wrong”.

Speaking at the event, senior advocates of the Calcutta High Court appreciated Justice Dash’s tenure and lauded his style of working.

Additional Solicitor General Ashok Kumar Chakraborty said, “Your lordship has emerged as a great human being with great cultural heritage. Your lordship had been pleased to preside over the criminal, civil and constitutional bench and the members of the Bar are perfectly happy in your lordship’s deliberation with us. And we will be missing one of our beautiful judges demitting office today.”

Shakya Sen, Secretary of the Bar library club said, “During this not so long period he spent with us, your lordship has left a lasting impression on the minds of the lawyers. Uniquely, both on the civil side and those practicing on the criminal side. Everyone we spoke to, really appreciated your lordship’s justice-oriented and relief minded approach.”

“We have found your Lordship to be a very patient listener, a very gentle human being and from your lordship’s utterances and observations in court we would understand your Lordship’s deep insight and quick application of law on the facts of the case. We sincerely lament that your lordship is leaving us a bit too soon,” Sen added.

(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)