Union Minister Kiren Rijiju fired on the Keralam unit’s X post, calling it "brazen" and a threat to constitutional stability.
The deleted tweet urged the Chief Justice to resign, stating, "Dear Surya Kant, if law and order is not your domain, resign now. We will find your replacement who can handle it." The tone was confrontational and unprecedented for a political party’s state unit.
CJI Surya Kant replied in a brief media statement, "Ye law and order ka mudda hai. Ye mera vishay nahin hai," adding that the Supreme Court’s doors remain open to everyone, whether a commoner or a lawmaker. His remarks were meant to defuse the pressure but only intensified the debate.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, speaking to ANI, said the party had "absolute faith in the judiciary" and had approached the apex court out of confidence, not hostility. He also confirmed that the staffer who shared the post was dismissed, a move that some Kerala lawyers hailed as a necessary check on political rhetoric.
BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi and CR Kesavan joined Rijiju’s critique, labeling the Congress a "Maoist" party that seeks to dismantle constitutional institutions. The backlash has spilled into social media, with a small business owner in Kottayam warning that escalating political attacks could destabilise local commerce. The next step will be a formal inquiry by the Election Commission into the party’s social‑media conduct, while the next Lok Sabha session is expected to address the broader issue of political speech and judicial independence.