‘No scope for any politicking’: Rijiju on impeachment motion against HC Judge Yashwant Varma

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju (Courtesy: PTI photo)

Speaking about the impeachment motion to be brought in against High Court judge Yashwant Varma in the coming Parliament session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the matter is related to “corruption” and therefore there’s no scope for any politicking.

“The impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma is a matter related to the corruption in the judiciary. So, there is no scope for any politicking. There is no scope for taking a separate political position for every part,” he said, in conversation with ANI.

Rijiju has started speaking with several political parties for an impeachment motion against Varma. The Supreme Court had constituted an inquiry committee following allegations of “burnt cash” found at a storeroom of Justice Varma's residence when he was a Judge of the Delhi High Court.

“…We would like to have a united stand, Parliament as a whole will have to come together to discuss this matter and move forward. So, I am building consensus amongst all political parties and I have started discussion with prominent leaders and I will reach out to everybody,” he told the news agency.

On a question regarding discussion with political parties over the matter, he said that the response has been very positive. “The matter is very serious and it is extremely important for the nation. So, when we discuss about corruption, whether it's corruption in judiciary or anywhere, it has to be taken in best consideration of the nation. We are not going to have a partsian view on that,” Rijiju stated.

A fire incident at Varma's residence in the national capital in March this year, when he was a judge at the Delhi High Court, had led to the discovery of several burnt sacks of cash at the outhouse.

Though Varma claimed ignorance about the cash, the Supreme Court-appointed committee indicted him after speaking to a number of witnesses and recording his statement.

The then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, is believed to have prodded him to resign but Varma dug in his heels. The apex court has since transferred him to his parent cadre of the Allahabad High Court, where he has not been assigned any judicial work.

Khanna then wrote to the President and the Prime Minister, recommending the impeachment motion, which is the procedure for axing members of the higher judiciary from service.

The impeachment motion is likely to be brought in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, which will be begin from July 21 and continue till August 12.