Launching a scathing attack on the Supreme Court, fourth-term BJP MP from Godda in Jharkhand, Nishikant Dubey on Saturday said that the Parliament and State Assemblies should be closed down if the apex court has to make the laws.
Alleging that the top court was going beyond its powers, he said that the court is striking down laws passed by Parliament and even directing the President, who appoints Supreme Court judges.
Dubey's verbal attack targeting the country's top court came following the Centre's assurance to the court that it would not be implementing some of the contentious provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act till the next day of hearing after the court raised questions over them.
"Supreme Court is responsible for inciting religious wars in the country. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut" ANI quoted Dubey as saying.
Citing Article 368 of the Constitution, the senior BJP leader said that law-making is the job of Parliament, and the Supreme Court is meant to interpret the laws. The court can order the government but not Parliament, he asserted.
According to PTI, Dubey appeared to question the court's critical observations on the Act's dilution of the "Waqf by use" provision, saying it has sought documentary proof in cases involving temples, including Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, but has chosen to ignore the similar need in the ongoing case.
Besides the current developments on Waqf Act, Dubey also pointed to past rulings of the Supreme Court like the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the scrapping of Section 66(A) of the IT Act as examples of its "overreach".
Row Against SC's Timeline For President
Dubey's sharp criticism of the top court came amid an ongoing row over the Supreme Court's recent decision to set a three-month timeline for the President of India to take a decision on the bills referred to her. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar voicing strong disapproval of the judgement.
Dhankhar has also been maintaining that the apex court was wrong in striking down the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act in 2015.
On the other hand, opposition parties have lauded the court's direction to the President as well as the proceedings in the apex court in the Waqf (Amendment) Act matter.
