Skip to main content

Jethmalani's letters to PM, President before he told Modi, "My diminishing respect for you ends today"

In two separate letters, first to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then to President Pranab Kumar Mukherjee, veteran Supreme Court advocate Ram Jethmalani took strong exception to the appointment of KV Chowdary as chief vigilance commissioner (CVC) of India. Despite the letters of protest, Chowdary was appointed CVC, making Jethmalani to declare on June 8, “My diminishing respect for you ends today.”
Text of the two letters:

Jethmalani’s letter to the Prime Minister (May 26, 2015):
You are aware that I am appearing for the Petitions in Writ Petition (Civil), No 683 of 2014, relating to the appointment the Central Vigilance Commissioner and a Vigilance Commissioner. The Petitioners are with perfect justification entitled to see that no unworthy person is appointed to either of these offices and the provisions of the Act are fully and strictly applied in the matter of appointment.
At the last hearing of the matter on May 13, 2015, though I was not present, my other junior counsel were present and the Honourable Court permitted the selection process to go on but before the appointments are made leave of the court has to be taken. When the matter is to be heard next the Attorney General will have to produce the order of appointment as well as entire original record. All the contentions of both the parties are left open and obviously the appointments will be subject to Court orders.
As a citizen India and as part of my duties as the counsel of the petitioner I will continue to serve the nation by enforcement the law to promote public probity. Of course this is a task and it becomes necessary to expose some people’s bad records. One such person is your Finance Minister. I have made no secret of my contempt for him. I have repeatedly warned you that he has no interest whatsoever in identification and punishment of powerful offenders or in repatriation of the proceeds of their crimes. It’s all over the media that at the last meeting of the Selection Committee you had kept Mr Arun Jaitley present and he was allowed to propose the name of Mr KV Chowdary as CVC.
KV Chowdary by no means has clean record. It is well known that corrupt public servant thrive with the help corrupt politicians. Mr. Chowdary has been connected with the previous France Minister Chidambaram whose great contribution to a cause very dear to you was wholly to frustrate it by his actions which themselves amount to crimes. This Chowdury is also ex-officio member of the special investigation team (SIT). Nothing in the SIT will remain secret from the criminals involved. I understand that your Finance Minister strongly recommended his name for the appointment as CVC.
I know you will not like it, but it is my duty to warn you that I will have to come with the whole bitter truth for the public and the Honourable Supreme Court to know. By the sheer presence of the Finance Minister your proceedings of the meeting are rendered null and void. It is true that if you secretly consult him and even feel compelled to follow his advice the truth may not become known but it does not mean that the law is being followed.
One more character to be avoided is Anita Kapoor, currently CBDT chairperson. I am still awaiting your response to my letter written to you earlier this month.
I still remain your friend but perhaps not for long.
Jethmalani’s letter to the President of India (June 2, 2015):
I am writing this in a state of great mental excitement. I am shocked at what the Prime Minister on the advice of his Finance Minister is about to do about fulfilling his claim during the election campaign that he wanted to eradicate every bit of corruption and provide a bureaucracy of unimpeachable integrity. This is also statutory requirement for the office of chief vigilance commissioner (CVC).
From the accompanying copy of my letter dated May 26, 2015, addressed to the Prime Minister, you will find how opposed I am to the appointment of Mr K Chowdary as the future CVC. After the appointment is sanctioned by the government, the formal appointment will be the act of the President of India. I am writing this to warn you that this is the greatest disaster that will fall on this unfortunate nation. For the nation’s sake, call for the entire record of this officer’s involvement in criminal activities from which he has managed to get out with the help of corrupt and anti-national elements, which the Prime Minister unfortunately cannot control.
I would like to call on you and demonstrate to you the fate which awaits our unfortunate people. Do hear me and postpone the action of the government which the government is determined to take.

Comments

TRENDING

Avoidable Narmada floods: Modi birthday fete caused long wait for release of dam waters

Counterview Desk  Top advocacy group, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), has accused the Sardar Sarovar dam operators for once again acting in an "unaccountable" manner, bringing "avoidable floods in downstream Gujarat."  In a detailed analysis, SANDRP has said that the water level at the Golden Bridge in Bharuch approached the highest flood level on September 17, 2023, but these "could have been significantly lower and much less disastrous" both for the upstream and downstream areas of the dam, if the authorities had taken action earlier based on available actionable information.

Junk food push causing severe public health crisis of obesity, diabetes in India: Report

By Rajiv Shah  A new report , “The Junk Push: Rising Consumption of Ultra-processed foods in India- Policy, Politics and Reality”, public health experts, consumers groups, lawyers, youth and patient groups, has called upon the Government of India to check the soaring consumption of High Fat Sugar or Salt (HFSS) foods or ultra-processed foods (UPF), popularly called junk food.

From 'Naatu-Naatu' to 'Nipah-Nipah': Dancing to the tune of western pipers?

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD*  Some critics have commented that the ecstatic response of most Indians to the Oscar for the racy Indian song, “Naatu-Naatu” from the film, “RRR” reeks of sheer racism, insulting visuals and a colonial hangover. It was perhaps these ingredients that impressed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, one critic says.

Astonishing? Violating its own policy, Barclays 'refinanced' Adani Group's $8 billion bonds

By Rajiv Shah  A new report released by two global NGOs, BankTrack and the Toxic Bonds Network, has claimed to have come up with “a disquieting truth”: that Barclays, a financial heavyweight with a “controversial” track record, is deeply entrenched in a “disturbing” alliance with “the Indian conglomerate and coal miner Adani Group.”

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Asset managers hold '2.8 times more equity' in fossil fuel cos than in green investments

By Deepanwita Gita Niyogi*  The world’s largest asset managers are far off track to meet the  2050 net zero commitments , a new study  released by InfluenceMap , a London-based think tank working on climate change and sustainability, says. Released on August 1, the Asset Managers and Climate Change 2023 report by FinanceMap, a work stream of InfluenceMap, finds that the world’s largest asset managers have not improved on their climate performance in the past two years.

'State-sanctioned terror': Stop drone attack on Adivasis, urge over 80 world academics

Counterview Desk  A joint statement, “Indigenous Peoples’ Un-Freedoms and Our Academic Freedom: A Call for Solidarity”, endorsed by over 80 signatories, including international academics, activists and civil society organizations, as well as diasporic Indian academics and researchers, working with Adivasi (indigenous) communities in India, has made an urgent appeal to prevent future drone bomb attacks by the Indian state on Adivasi villages.

Biden urged to warn Modi: US can declare India as worst religious freedom offender

By Our Representative  During a Congressional Briefing held on Capitol Hill, Washington DC, Nadine Maenza, former Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), has wondered why the Biden administration should raise issues of mass anti-minority mob violence  -- particularly in Haryana and Manipur -- with Modi. Modi should be told that if such violence continues, the US will be “compelled by law” to designate India as one of the world’s worst offenders of religious freedom, she urged.