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

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog