Amit Shah Criticizes Opposition Over Impeachment Notice Against Justice Swaminathan

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has slammed opposition parties for introducing an impeachment motion against Justice G.R. Swaminathan of the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench, calling it unprecedented since India’s independence. The motion was submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla by 107 MPs of the India Mahagathbandhan, including members from Congress, DMK, AAP, Samajwadi Party, CPI, CPM, and the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Shah Takes On Opposition
During a discussion on electoral reforms in the Lok Sabha, Amit Shah indirectly addressed the impeachment, saying, “It has never happened in independent India that a judge, after delivering a verdict, faces such an impeachment motion.” He accused opposition MPs of acting to protect their vote banks rather than out of genuine concern. He also criticized Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs for supporting the motion.

Shah added that Justice Swaminathan’s verdict merely recognized the devotees’ right to light lamps on the hilltop, and the impeachment move was politically motivated.

Opposition Defends the Motion
DMK MP M.K. Kanimozhi said the judge broke public trust and acted against the Constitution and the people’s interests. She claimed bias in some cases and cited instances where the judge favored certain lawyers. Congress MP J.B. Mather stated that the judge appeared influenced by ideology, and the impeachment motion was a legal recourse to address the issue.

Congress MP Vivek Tankha argued that over 100 MPs signing the motion indicates the seriousness of the matter. He also raised concerns about EVM reliability, warning that overreliance on technology in democracy could be risky.