Ahead of Parliament’s monsoon session, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has urged all political parties to act against Justice Shekhar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court. The Board accused the judge of delivering a “hateful” and “communal” speech on December 8, 2024, inside the court premises.l, as per a report by the Clarion India.
The Board represents Muslim interests in matters of personal law and the Constitution. It raised concerns over the legal and political system’s “deliberate inaction” for over six months. In a formal letter, AIMPLB called for constitutional and parliamentary action against the judge, stressing the need for judicial neutrality.
The letter, written by General Secretary Maulana Mohammed Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi, said the judge’s speech falsely claimed to uphold constitutional values. In truth, it promoted a biased and exclusionary view of secularism, influenced by his religious beliefs.
The letter said, “The Judge forgot the position he holds and ignored that secularism in the Constitution demands equal treatment for all.” It added that his view of secularism was “coloured by strong religious bias” and opposed India’s inclusive democracy.
The Board stressed that freedom of religion is key to Indian society. “Many practices, especially in personal life, are tied to religion. The judge’s words, though using legal terms, attack one religion and harm the Rule of Law,” the letter said.
AIMPLB said Justice Yadav failed in his core duty—to be neutral. “He used constitutional language to push a religious agenda. This breaks the rule of judicial impartiality,” the letter noted.
The Board warned that such conduct hurts public trust in courts. “The judge is trying to push a personal worldview that is neither secular nor legal,” it said. The Board warned that staying silent on this issue would send a harmful message.
It also criticized political leaders for being passive. “For six months, no serious action was taken,” the Board said. “The political leadership seems to have ignored this serious matter.”
The letter reminded parties of their duty under the Constitution. “The Constitution does not allow judges to express biased views. Diversity and inclusivity—core values of India—clash with what the judge did.”
AIMPLB urged political parties to use proper legal ways to address this issue. While the letter did not mention impeachment, experts said such appeals could lead to action under Articles 124 and 217 of the Constitution.
“The longer this goes unpunished, the more the rule of law and secularism are damaged,” the letter warned.
Justice Yadav had made the speech at an event organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a Hindu right-wing group. Though the topic was the Uniform Civil Code, he supported majoritarianism and used phrases like “humaari Gita, aapki Quran” and the slur “kathmullah.” Many called the speech a hate-filled attack on Muslims.
Last year, some Opposition MPs tried to start impeachment proceedings against Justice Yadav, but they did not succeed. The Supreme Court let him off with only a reprimand.
