SC rebukes lawyer for PIL on Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary
The Supreme Court admonished the lawyer for the petition, saying ”If you want blue skies, will you file a PIL saying that you want blue skies”
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday rebuked a lawyer who sought a direction to declare the birthday of freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as a national holiday and to construct a hall and museum in his memory.
Finding the issue to be outside the realm of courts, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and justice JB Pardiwala said, “You have to bring a matter within the parameters of law. You can’t make a mockery of PIL, you are a member of the Bar.”
The petition filed by a lawyer KK Ramesh was argued by advocate Narender Kumar Verma who pointed out that the court may seek a response from the Centre on whether it intends to implement these prayers.
Dismissing the plea, the bench said, “The direction which the petitioner seeks for declaring the birthday of Subhash Chandra Bose as a national holiday and for the construction of a memorial clearly fall within the realm of executive policy. We decline to entertain the petition.”
The court wondered why the petitioner wanted a holiday on Netaji’s birthday, which falls on January 23.
“The best way you can celebrate is to work hard just how he (Bose) worked for independence.”
The court further noted that everything cannot have a remedy under PIL. “If you want blue skies, will you file a PIL saying that you want blue skies. This is a matter for Government of India to decide. What will courts do?” The bench said each minute lost by the court in hearing such matters steals the time meant for other litigants.