New Delhi: A Supreme Court lawyer has written to Attorney General R Venkataramani, demanding initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for his remarks against the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna.
The letter says that contempt must be initiated against Dubey “for statements made by him in public that are grossly scandalous, misleading, and aimed at lowering the dignity and authority” of the Supreme Court. ThePrint has seen the letter.
The lawyer, Anas Tanwir, castigated Dubey for making “communally polarizing remarks that directly cast aspersions on the impartiality of the Hon’ble Supreme Court” and demanded the AG’s consent under Section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act 1971, to initiate contempt proceedings against Dubey.
The provision says that while the court can initiate contempt on its own, or on a motion made by the Attorney General, if the motion is made by any other person, the written consent of the AG is required.
The letter refers to Dubey’s statement in which the Godda MP said, “When the issue of the Ram temple arises, you (Supreme Court) say ‘show documents; when the issue of Krishna Janmabhoomi comes up in Mathura. you say ‘show documents’; when it comes to the Gyanvapi Mosque, again you say ‘show documents. But when it comes to the mosques built after the arrival of the Mughals, you say there are no documents to show.”
These remarks, the letters asserts, “are not only factually incorrect but are also intended to scandalise the Hon’ble Supreme Court, erode public trust, and incite communal distrust in judicial impartiality, all of which clearly fall within the meaning of criminal contempt as defined under Section 2(c)(i) of the Contempt of Courts Act.”
In an interview to ANI Saturday, Dubey had said that “the Supreme Court is solely responsible for inciting religious wars in the country”. He even blamed CJI Khanna for “all the civil wars in the country”. The remarks came amid the ongoing hearings in the Supreme Court on the batch of petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
Referring to Dubey’s allegations against the CJI, the letter said, “This statement is not only deeply derogatory but also dangerously provocative. It recklessly attributes national unrest to the Hon’ble Chief Justice, thus scandalising the highest judicial office in the country and attempting to provoke public distrust, outrage, and possible unrest.”
Such an allegation without any basis, it asserts, constitutes “a grave attack on the integrity and independence of the judiciary”.
Also Read: Legal community says Nishikant’s remarks border on contempt, backs SC’s approach to waqf law matter
‘Deliberate attempt to vilify’
In the interview, Dubey had said, “If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut.”
Dubey also launched a scathing attack on the Supreme Court’s judgment setting a three-month timeline for the President to decide on Bills referred to her by the Governors. Referring to this judgment, the BJP MP also alleged that this means the Supreme Court wants to take this country towards “anarchy”.
However, the letter says that “by suggesting that the Supreme Court is creating ‘anarchy’, Dubey has made a deliberate attempt to vilify the institution of the judiciary.”
Dubey had also asserted that while Parliament has the authority to enact laws under Article 368 (procedure for amending the Constitution), the Supreme Court has the power to interpret the law. However, the letter says that Dubey’s reference to Article 368 is “misleading and calculated to portray the judiciary as encroaching upon the powers of the legislature, whereas in reality, the Supreme Court is fully empowered under Articles 141 and 142 to issue binding directions to uphold constitutional mandates”.
In a separate interview on Saturday, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma told ANI that nobody can challenge the President, who, he said, is “supreme”.
Hours after their remarks, BJP chief J.P. Nadda distanced the BJP from the remarks. “These are their personal statements but the BJP neither agrees with such statements nor does it ever support such statements. The BJP completely rejects these statements,” Nadda posted on ‘X’, adding that the party had always respected the judiciary.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Nadda draws the line, but unease over Supreme Court’s moves continues to simmer within BJP
BJP KA IZZAT PUNCTURE KAR DIYA
What Dubey said is incorrect? No burnt wads of currency notes were found ever and nepotism is rampant in bollywood alone.
The lawyer Anas Tanwir is a radical Muslim who supports UN designated terrorist organisations. His social media profiles openly support Taliban, Hezbollah, Hamas and other such Islamic Jihadi organizations.
Mr. Tanwir must be investigated and prosecuted by the NIA on charges of aiding and abetting terrorism.
It’s shameful that The Print, a reputed media platform, did not conduct thorough research into the background and credentials of this closet Islamist and chose to publish this story.