Constitutional posts must be respected: Rajnath Singh

Mirzapur: Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today that constitutional posts must be respected and their propriety should not be questioned, amid a raging debate over a demand by a few opposition parties led by the Congress to impeach Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. Singh said Congress president Rahul Gandhi is doing politics over “non-issues”.

“By levelling these allegations, people cannot be misled. Issue-based politics should be done. This is a result of Rahul Gandhi’s disappointment as he has no issue (to talk on),” he said. “Our government gives full respect to constitutional posts and their jurisdictions. We must respect their decisions,” he said in response to a question by a reporter.

Singh’s reaction came in the backdrop of a notice submitted to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on April 20 by seven opposition parties led by the Congress to impeach CJI Misra. The unprecedented petition against a sitting chief justice had listed five allegations of “misbehaviour”.

On April 23, Naidu rejected the notice, saying the petition lacked “substantial merit”. He had held consultations with legal and constitutional experts before taking the decision. The Union home minister, who was in Mirzapur to attend a wedding, also said that India’s relations with China “is moving in the right direction” and Beijing has assured full cooperation.

“Hence, the preparations going on in areas bordering China will continue,” Singh said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned from China yesterday after holding their first-ever informal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting has raised hopes of bilateral relation improving following tensions on a host of issues, including the Doklam military standoff last year.

On the Kashmir issue, Singh said the “military action in Kashmir is moving in the right direction and we will continue with this action”. “We do not believe in expansionist policy and there is no change in our Kashmir policy.