Citizens' group seeks probe on Santhosh Hegde for 'anti-quota' views

Jagrutha Karnataka — a citizens’ collective — has urged President of India Droupadi Murmu to order a high-level inquiry into the appointment of Santhosh Hegde as Supreme Court Judge, in view of his “anti-reservation” statements.In a letter written on August 28, Jagurtha Karnataka told the President that Hegde had publicly expressed anti-reservation sentiments and had also spoken “disparagingly” about secularism, a principle that’s a part of the basic structure of the Constitution.Hegde was a ‘rightist thinker with leftist empathy’, says V-P“These statements, in our view, demonstrate not only intolerance towards the Constitution but also a profound lack of understanding of it, and amount to an affront to the distinguished members of the Constituent Assembly, including its principal architect, Dr B R Ambedkar.”The letter pointed out that Hegde had served as the solicitor general of India under a BJP-led government and was the advocate general of Karnataka under a Janata Party government.“The fact that a person who, as his recent statements suggest, displays such profound ignorance of and intolerance towards the Constitution could have occupied high constitutional offices raises serious concerns and calls for scrutiny.”The citizens’ collective also urged the President to order a “comprehensive review” of all orders and judgments in which Hegde participated during his tenure as a Supreme Court judge, particularly those concerning constitutional principles, equality and social justice, and take appropriate legal action in public interest.The letter termed Hegde “constitutionally and morally unfit” to receive pension granted under the Constitution to permanently withdraw his pension unless he immediately stops making anti-constitution statements and tenders an apology to the people of the country.

Source: Deccan Herald