Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena fumes as Eknath Shinde shares stage with CJI UU Lalit, says 'democracy in danger'

Chief Justice of India UU Lalit was on Saturday felicitated at an event in Mumbai where Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju was also present along with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.

Eknath Shinde shares stage with CJI UU Lalit

New Delhi: Shiv Sena on Sunday (September 11, 2022) attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for sharing a stage with Chief Justice of India UU Lalit amid the Supreme Court hearing petitions of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena and the CM camp. Shiv Sena spokesperson Arvind Sawant claimed "nothing was happening these days" as per norms, rules and law.

"This is the reason we say democracy is in danger," he said.

CJI Lalit was on Saturday felicitated at an event in Mumbai where Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju was also present along with Maharashtra deputy CM and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP ) leader Devendra Fadnavis.

A proud moment for Maharashtra to celebrate and everyone associated with the High Court of Judicature at Bombay. pic.twitter.com/E0W1atHSFU — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 11, 2022

Shinde had led a revolt against the Shiv Sena leadership in June this year which resulted in the collapse of the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. He was then sworn in as the CM on June 30 and Fadnavis took the oath as his deputy.

The Supreme Court recently referred to a five-judge bench the petitions filed by the Shiv Sena and factions raising several constitutional questions related to defection, merger and disqualification.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil, whose party is a constituent of the MVA along with the Sena and Congress, also said that it is "improper" that Shinde has shared the stage with the Chief Justice of India when a "serious case of challenging the legitimacy" of his government is being heard by a Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court.

"A serious case of challenging the legitimacy of the Eknath Shinde government is being heard by a Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court.

"In such a case, it is improper that Shinde shares stage with the Chief Justice of India. This is not as per protocol," Patil said.

मा. सर्वोच्य न्यायालयाच्या घटनापीठासमोर मुख्यमंत्री एकनाथ शिंदे आणि त्यांच्या सरकारच्या वैधतेची गंभीर सुनावणी सुरु आहे, असे असताना मुख्यमंत्र्यांनी सर्वोच्य न्यायालयाचे मा. सरन्यायाधीश यांच्यासोबत एका व्यासपीठावर बसणे, हे संकेतांना धरून नाही. pic.twitter.com/3pkPzx2KqY — Jayant Patil- जयंत पाटील (@Jayant_R_Patil) September 11, 2022

Posting pictures of Saturday's event, Congress spokesman Sachin Sawant also said, "When legitimacy and legality of the Shinde-Fadnavis government is being examined by Hon'ble SC itself and not only the current state government but also the man heading it can be disqualified, the dais looks rather incongruous."

शिंदे फडणवीस सरकारची वैधता आणि कायदेशीरता स्वतः माननीय सर्वोच्च न्यायालयाद्वारे तपासली जात असताना आणि केवळ सध्याचे राज्य सरकारच नाही तर राज्याचे नेतृत्व करणाऱ्या व्यक्तीला देखील अपात्र ठरवले जाऊ शकते अशी परिस्थिती असताना व्यासपीठावरील विसंगती उठून दिसणे साहजिकच आहे. pic.twitter.com/4ijj6xEMJN — Sachin Sawant सचिन सावंत (@sachin_inc) September 11, 2022

(With agency inputs)