V-P election: Former judges criticise Justice BS Reddy for meeting fodder scam convict

A group of former judges on Monday criticised INDI Alliance Vice-Presidential candidate Justice B Sudarshan Reddy over his private meeting with fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad, saying it had no legitimate political purpose as the RJD leader was not eligible to vote in the September 9 election.

“It is dismaying to note that Mr. B. Sudarshan Reddy, INDI Alliance’s joint candidate, recently had a private meeting with Mr. Lalu Prasad Yadav. Mr. Yadav stands infamously convicted in the fodder scam case which involved the embezzlement of about INR 940 Crores of public funds from the State of Bihar,” the group said in a statement.

“This consultation cannot be justified by citing electoral considerations, as Mr. Yadav is neither a Member of Parliament nor is he eligible to vote in the Vice -Presidential electoral college. The meeting therefore appears to serve no legitimate political purpose,” the statement read.

“For someone of Mr. Reddy’s stature, a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, and his ambition, which is to occupy one of the nation’s highest constitutional offices, an engagement of such dubious nature raises serious questions about his judgment and propriety. It is particularly worrying that despite his distinguished judicial background, Mr. Reddy has independently associated with an individual whose criminal actions have been confirmed by Indian courts,” it went on.

“What is equally telling is the silence of certain factions, who are usually up-in-arms at far lesser allegations. This incident only re-confirms the partisan nature of those who position themselves as self-proclaimed custodians of constitutional morality. It reveals their willingness to overlook serious lapses for self-serving interest and political convenience,” the former judges said.

“Regardless of this conspicuous silence , Mr. Reddy’s decision to associate with convicted individuals who have demonstrably harmed national interests through corruption, speaks volumes about his intentions and allegiances. This lapse, by an individual seeking to occupy an influential and prestigious constitutional post, represents a fundamental error in judgment, one that the public is bound to evaluate fully,” they said.

The signatories included Justice S M Khandeparkar (former Bombay High Court Judge), Justice Ambadas Joshi (former Bombay High Court Judge), Justice R K Marthiya (ormer Jharkhand High Court Judge), Justice Devender Kumar Ahuja (former Allahabad High Court Judge), Justice S N Dhingra (former judge Delhi High Court), Justice Karam Chand Puri (former Punjab & Haryana High Court Judge), Justice PN Ravindran (former Kerala High Court Judge), and Justice R S Rathore (former Rajasthan High Court Judge).