Allahabad HC Judge Yadav's speech draws ire, Supreme Court takes note

New Delhi- The Supreme Court said today that it is reviewing a controversial speech delivered by Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court. The court's statement comes in response to widespread media coverage of the speech, given at the provincial convention of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's law Cell (Kashi Province) on Sunday.

Justice Yadav is reported to have stated that "this country will function according to the wishes of the majority living in Hindustan," emphasizing the "law" of the majority. Further, he reportedly said: "Lekin yeh jo kathmullah hai jo...yeh sahi shabd nahi hai...lekin kehne mein parhez nahi hai kyunki woh desh ke liye bura hai...desh ke liye ghatak hai, khilaaf hai, janata ko bhadhkane wale log hai...desh aage na badhe is prakar ke log hai...unse saavdhaan rehne ki zaroorat hai (But these kathmullah... this may not be the right word... but I won't hesitate to say it because they are harmful to the country...they are detrimental, against the nation, and people who incite the public. They are the kind of people who do not want the country to progress, and we need to be cautious of them." He reportedly said, "But these kathmullah... this may not be the right word... but I won't hesitate to say it because they are harmful to the country...they are detrimental, against the nation, and people who incite the public. They are the kind of people who do not want the country to progress, and we need to be cautious of them."

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, acting as convenor of the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR), called for an "in-house enquiry" against Justice Yadav on Tuesday. Bhushan's letter alleges "judicial impropriety" and a violation of the code of conduct for judges, citing the speech's content as "unpardonable and unconscionable slurs against the Muslim community." He argues that the speech undermines the rule of law, secularism, and equality before the law, threatening the public's faith in the judiciary's impartiality. Bhushan's letter also states that Justice Yadav's actions violate Articles 14, 21, 25 & 26 read with the Preamble of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court's statement confirms that details of the speech have been requested from the Allahabad High Court, and the matter is under consideration.