AGARTALA, August 11 (TIWN): Both BJP and Trinamool Congress moved to Governor seeking action against Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar for his alleged defamatory comment against judiciary in presence of Chief Justice of High Court of Tripura Deepak Gupta and three of his companion judges last week.

BJP sent a memorandum to Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya seeking permission to lodge FIR against Chief Minister Sarkar while All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Tripura state committee urged Governor to recommend for promulgation of Article 355 of the constitution.

All the oppositions including Congress have been protesting against the comment of Chief Minister and demanding him to seek public apology for his comment, which is critical to judiciary and is considered to be a threat to the judges.

Both BJP and TMC have announced to move to court as well as to President seeking redress.

In the inauguration of District and Session Court of Sepahijala district in Sonamura last week Sarkar had expressed displeasure over the judgment of the High Court and allegedly criticizing the judiciary in public while advising the High Court judges about spirit of the judgment.

Trinamool Congress Chairman Ratan Chakraborty said, “Sarkar not only expressed his anger but also advised the judges that before passing any order, they (judges) should think over the consequences and judges should not be mechanical.”

He also alleged that Chief Minister without naming anybody cautioned, “Since somebody has limitation to provide food to the people, so we must not also have right to take it away. And if it is continued in judiciary, people have to raise finger on the court.”  

TMC leader alleged that earlier ruling CPI-M had criticised the judgment of High Court passed on May 7 regarding cancelation of the job of 10,323 teachers of different government schools nullifying the employment policy of the state government.

Recently, the state government has filed a special leave petition to Supreme Court challenging the decision of the High Court

But in public gathering if Chief Minister starts commenting on the functioning of the High Court and advising the judges over the judgments, it is considered to be an assault on judiciary and instigating commoners against judicial system.

“When executive and administration are miserably failed to redress public grievances and ensure civil and human rights of the citizen, judiciary is functioning as last option for the commoners. But if executives start commenting on independence of the judiciary, it is dangerous,” Mr Chakraborty stated.    

He however, pointed out that TMC will take up the matter with President of India through Governor of Tripura under Article 355 of the Constitution of India that empowered Centre to protect states against internal disturbance.

Earlier Congress had also condemned the statement of the Chief Minister and demanded to seek apology for such comment. But Chief Minister Sarkar is yet to make any clarification over the controversy.