Court on trial

The recent interview of ex chief justice justice Dhananjay Chandrachud has raised many eyebrows. Senior Journalist, Stephen socker interviewed justice, Chandrachud for the BBC and the short 23 minutes. Interview is being hailed as a piece of master craftsmanship in the art. While Mr socker managed to raise many difficult and contested issues like dynastic privileges in judiciary the Jammu and Kashmir issue and the abrogation of article 370. CAA political pressure and the Ram Janma Bhoomi judgement, justice Chandrachud looked uncomfortable, jittery, and defiantly defensive. Mr. Socker was interviewing on behalf of the international audience which is not much interested in cases where the Indian courts delivered but where the courts seemed to be falling short of protecting the liberal democratic image of India. His immediate and aggressive denial of all these apprehensions without explaining the basis of them might impress the majoritarian jingoistic forces with fragile egos, but does not convince an international audience. This has seriously dented, the already shaky confidence of the people in the independence of the higher judiciary displaying a lack of empathy and sensitivity on its part.