SC dropped in-house probe against Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav after Rajya Sabha claimed jurisdiction
The Supreme Court had initiated steps to launch an in-house inquiry against Allahabad High Court judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav for his controversial speech at a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) event in 2024, but dropped the plan following a formal intervention from the Rajya Sabha secretariat, which asserted exclusive jurisdiction over the matter.
Justice Yadav's speech, delivered at the Allahabad High Court Bar Association premises during a VHP legal cell event, contained majoritarian rhetoric and remarks targeting the Muslim community. Among other things, he had claimed India should run as per the wishes of the majority, only a Hindu could make India a ‘Vishwa Guru’, and that triple talaq and halala contributed to societal backwardness. The comments sparked widespread outrage and led to calls for his impeachment.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna had initially moved to examine the judge’s conduct, following a report from the Allahabad High Court chief justice. The apex court collegium later held a closed-door meeting with Justice Yadav in December 2024, during which he reportedly promised to apologise. However, in a January 2025 letter, he stood by his remarks, claiming they were misrepresented.
As the judiciary deliberated further action, the Supreme Court received a letter from the Rajya Sabha secretariat in March 2025. It pointed out that an impeachment motion had already been filed by 55 MPs, and that only Parliament and the President had the authority to act under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. Consequently, the in-house inquiry was shelved to avoid constitutional overlap.
Despite no action taken yet on the impeachment notice, Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar confirmed in February that Parliament held exclusive jurisdiction. The Supreme Court collegium agreed not to proceed further, citing the need to avoid parallel proceedings.
Justice Yadav is set to retire in April 2026. He has not issued any public apology and maintains that his remarks were in line with constitutional values and cultural ethos, even as pressure mounts from Opposition MPs and civil society for clarity on the impeachment process.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
