The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has officially dismissed a staffer after a controversial social media post targeting Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant appeared on the party’s state-level account. The message, which was shared on the Congress Keralam X handle on Monday, demanded the resignation of the Chief Justice before being removed from the platform following widespread criticism and political scrutiny.
KPCC president Sunny Joseph issued a statement confirming that the employee responsible for managing the account had been relieved of their duties. Joseph emphasized that the inflammatory post had been published without the consent, knowledge, or consultation of the state party leadership. According to the KPCC chief, the organization intends to conduct a formal review into the specific circumstances that led to the unauthorized publication of the message.
The controversy originated from remarks made by the CJI during an event marking the 33rd anniversary of the National Human Rights Commission at Vigyan Bhawan. When asked by reporters about ongoing protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi, Justice Surya Kant noted that such issues concerning law and order fell outside his judicial domain. Furthermore, when questioned about his decision to decline a meeting request from Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, the CJI stated that the doors of the Supreme Court remained open to all, including ordinary citizens and lawmakers.
The digital post had directly challenged the Chief Justice following these comments, sparking a swift response from the political spectrum. National leaders of the Congress party moved quickly to distance themselves from the Kerala unit's digital outreach, officially labeling the demand for the CJI’s resignation as entirely incorrect and reiterating their commitment to the impartiality of the Indian judiciary. The KPCC further clarified that social media posts expressing views against this stance did not reflect the official policy or sentiments of the state leadership.
The incident drew sharp condemnation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Union Minister Kiren Rijiju publicly shared a screenshot of the deleted post on social media, alleging that the Congress party was actively working to undermine constitutional and democratic institutions. The Minister’s remarks mirrored broader criticisms from the party, which argued that the incident was part of a larger pattern of targeting the judiciary.
The original row was preceded by tensions involving the Congress party and the Election Commission. Congress leaders had previously sought to present a memorandum to the CJI regarding allegations of vote theft and to protest the administrative handling of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The Supreme Court eventually granted permission for the Congress delegation to file a formal petition regarding the matter.
As the KPCC moves forward, the leadership has sought to quell the controversy by reaffirming its faith in the country's judicial processes. While the staffer has been removed, the episode highlights the ongoing challenges political parties face regarding the management of official social media channels and the potential for unauthorized content to trigger significant political ramifications at both the state and national levels.
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