Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the residence of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud for Ganesh Puja has ignited a major political debate. Opposition leaders have raised concerns, with some suggesting that the meeting sends an “uncomfortable message” about the relationship between the executive and the judiciary. However, the BJP has strongly defended the visit, emphasizing that attending religious ceremonies is not unusual and pointing out that politicians and judges frequently share public platforms.
During his visit, the Prime Minister was warmly received by CJI Chandrachud and his wife, Kalpana Das. PM Modi later shared a post on social media stating, “Joined Ganesh Puja at the residence of CJI, Justice DY Chandrachud Ji. May Bhagwan Shri Ganesh bless us all with happiness, prosperity, and wonderful health,” along with a photograph of the three praying together.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, however, criticized the meeting, suggesting that it casts doubt on judicial impartiality. He also called for the CJI to recuse himself from an ongoing case involving the political dispute between the Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde. According to Raut, such meetings between top political figures and the judiciary create a perception of bias.
“How many homes has the Prime Minister visited during Ganesh Puja? Why only the CJI’s?” Raut questioned, adding that the visible “relationship” between the judiciary and the executive raises concerns. He further argued that CJI Chandrachud should dissociate himself from any case involving the central government due to this perceived connection.
Raut’s party colleague Priyanka Chaturvedi also commented on the timing, noting the frequent adjournments in the ongoing Maharashtra political case and hoping that once the festivities were over, the case would proceed without delay.
Responding to the criticism, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla dismissed the accusations, calling them baseless. He stated, “Attending Ganesh Puja is no crime. It’s common for politicians and judiciary members to share stages at various public events. Questioning the integrity of the CJI and Supreme Court over this is a shameful attack on the judiciary.” He further pointed out that similar events had occurred in the past, such as a 2009 Iftar party hosted by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which was attended by then CJI KG Balakrishnan.
