Gogoi's RS nomination wrong, questionable: Punjab CM

Dubbing as "wrong and questionable" the nomination of former Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, to the Rajya Sabha, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday said it clearly indicated that he had "been useful to the Narendra Modi government at the Centre".

Chandigarh, March 19 Dubbing as "wrong and questionable" the nomination of former Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, to the Rajya Sabha, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday said it clearly indicated that he had "been useful to the Narendra Modi government at the Centre".

Gogoi's nomination has definitely raised eyebrows, said the Congress Chief Minister, adding that any sensible person would be against such a move by the central government.

The governments have to realise their responsibility they cannot use institutions for political benefit, as appeared to be the case in Gogoi's nomination, Amarinder Singh said during a conclave to mark the completion of three years of his government.

The Chief Minister drew a clear distinction between Gogoi's nomination by the President of India less than six months after his retirement, and former CJI Ranganath Mishra's election to the Rajya Sabha on a Congress ticket several years after his retirement.

Unlike Gogoi, Mishra fought an election to win the Rajya Sabha seat, and that too some seven years after he retired as CJI, he pointed out.

Noting that former defence personnel, judges and others often enter politics and contest elections, the Chief Minister observed that for Army chief General J.J. Singh had been pitted against him by the Akalis in the last Punjab Assembly polls.

Gogoi was also entitled to enter politics, but he should have faced elections after four-five years of retirement, said Amarinder Singh.

Even though his government had nominated retired High Court judges to various commissions, they had no political or government standing, said the Chief Minister, making it clear that he would never agree to extend such favour to a former chief justice as had been apparently been done to Gogoi.

( With inputs from IANS )