Owaisi takes ‘tubelights’ dig at BJP MPs as Opposition slams remarks on SC

The Opposition on Sunday (April 20) tore into BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma for their highly controversial and disparaging remarks against the Supreme Court even as the saffron party distanced itself from their comments.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi mocked the BJP leaders as “tubelights” (a slang for foolish), after Dubey on Saturday claimed that Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna was “responsible for all the civil wars happening in the country”.

He also ranted that if the “Supreme Court is going to make the laws, then the Parliament should be shut down”. Sharma, a former deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was also critical of the Supreme Court, saying no one could direct Parliament or the President.

Also read: ‘Absolutely rejects’: BJP distances itself from MPs spewing venom on SC

Repeat offenders, says Congress

While BJP president JP Nadda posted on X on Sunday, distancing the party from the MPs’ comments and said he had directed both the leaders and other members of the party not to make such comments, the Congress described his statement as “damage control” and asked why no action had been taken against the two.

“The BJP has nothing to do with the comments of MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the chief justice. This is their personal comments but the BJP neither agrees with them nor does it ever support such remarks. The BJP absolutely rejects them,” Nadda said in the post.

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said the distancing of the “outgoing BJP president” from the “atrocious remarks” of the two MPs carried little meaning.

“These MPs are repeat offenders when it comes to hate speech and are very often used by G2 to attack communities, institutions, and individuals. The outgoing BJP president’s clarification is nothing but damage control,” Ramesh said in a post on X. “It will fool nobody,” he added.

Also read: ‘SC responsible for inciting religious wars in country’: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey

“Do you even know what Article 142 is?”

Owaisi, on his part, reminded the BJP of Article 142 of the Constitution, which grants the apex court power to deliver complete justice in matters before it. “You people (BJP) are tubelights... Do you even know what Article 142 is? It was framed by Dr BR Ambedkar,” Owaisi said.

“You people are in power and have become so radicalised that you are now threatening the court with a religious war. Modi ji, if you don’t stop these people, the country will become weak. The country won’t forgive you, and tomorrow, you won’t be in power,” he added.

Also read: After SC rap, Centre agrees to status quo on 'waqf by user' till next hearing

Tacit support of PM: Jairam Ramesh

Jairam Ramesh, too, asked, “If the continued silence of the prime minister on these repeated attacks on the Indian Constitution is not tacitly supportive of them, why has no action been taken against these two MPs? Has Nadda ji issued show cause notices to these two MPs?”

The remarks come at a time when the Supreme Court is hearing multiple petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which was passed by Parliament in early April.

Until the next hearing, the Centre has held off the implementation of certain controversial provisions of the law.

(With agency inputs)