The former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has taken an oath today, as the member of Rajya Sabha, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, amid walkout from the Opposition parties who have opposed his nomination.
Several Congress members have criticized Gogoi’s nomination to the Upper house by shouting ‘shame’ and ‘deal’, as he took the oath. On the other hand, Congress members and Bahujan Samaj Party opposed Gogoi’s appointment and walked out of the Rajya Sabha, which was also supported by the Communist Party of India, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).
However, Gogoi defended his nomination by stating that he accepted the offer because of his conviction that the legislature and judiciary must work together for building a nation.
“My presence in Parliament will be an opportunity to project the views of the judiciary before the legislature and vice versa”, stated Gogoi.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad welcomed Gogoi in the Rajya Sabha.
On 16 March, Justice Gogoi was nominated by President Ram Nath Kovind, four months after his retirement as the 46th Chief Justice of India, in November 2019, after presiding over the Supreme Court for around 13 months. In his farewell speech, Justice Gogoi had spoken of the lawlessness taking over in ‘some pockets’ of the legal system.
Gogoi is the first former Chief Justice of India to be nominated to Rajya Sabha, by the President of India.
