From Believing 'Cow Exhales Oxygen' To Praising PM : A Look At Justice Shekhar Yadav's Controversial Remarks

Sitting Allahabad High Court Judge, Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, on Sunday, courted a major controversy with his remarks made at an event organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).In his lecture on the topic, Uniform Civil Code: A Constitutional Necessity, he asserted the country would function according to the wishes of the majority (bahusankhyak) in India. From declaring that he was "taking an oath" that the Uniform Civil Code would soon be implemented in the country, to recounting the 'sacrifices' made by 'our ancestors' to see Rama Lalla freed and witness the construction of a grand Lord Rama temple at Ayodhya, to using the derogatory slur 'kathmullah', Justice Yadav also remarked that Muslim children could not be expected to exhibit kindness and tolerance when, from an early age, they are exposed to the sights of animals being slaughtered in front of them. During his 34-minute address, Justice Yadav also urged the VHP members to remain steadfast in their mission to make India a "Vishwa Guru" (world leader). He emphasised that this could only be achieved by a Hindu, and no one else. He added a warning that if this spirit within us dies, it will take no time for this country to turn into Taliban or Bangladesh. He also said that the Hindus should not be considered cowards. Furthermore, he commented that while he could not say that "ek rahenge to safe rahenge" (a phrase used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently during an election rally in Maharashtra), the underlying idea behind this phrase had 'force'. In his address, while drawing a comparison between Hinduism and Islam, Justice Yadav remarked that practices such as untouchability, Sati, and Jauhar had been abolished within Hinduism, yet the Muslim community continued to permit the practice of polygyny, halal, triple talaq etc. He deemed this practice unacceptable. Read Live Law's intensive coverage of his speech here, here and here. This, however, is not the first time that Justice Yadav has caught the public eye. His statements as a constitutional court judge, as reflected in his orders and judgments, have consistently made headlines in the news for their ideological overtones, sparking widespread debate. Here, we will delve into Justice Yadav's tendentious orders and judgments. Let's look at some of his observations, sitting as an HC Judge, that have sparked debate in the past.In July 2021, Justice Yadav, while denying bail to one Javed, who was accused of unlawfully converting a woman to Islam, observed that there is no place for religious fanaticism, greed, and fear in our country and that if a person from the majority community converts his/her religion after getting insulted, then the Country becomes weak and the destructive powers source benefits from it. In September 2021, while denying bail to one Javed accused of slaughtering a Cow, Justice Yadav had observed that cow should be declared as national animal and cow protection should be kept as a fundamental right of Hindus. In the order, written in Hindi, Justice Yadav enthusiastically described several virtues of the cow to emphasize that it deserved to be the national animal. "Scientists believe that cow is the only animal which inhales and exhales oxygen", Justice Yadav observed in the order. "Panchgavya, which is made of cow milk, curd, ghee, urine and cow dung, helps in the treatment of several incurable diseases", the judge went on to say. He further observed that it is a tradition in India to use ghee made of cow milk during yajna because "this gives special energy to sunrays, which ultimately causes rains". "Jab gaay ka kalyaan hoga, tabhi Desh ka kalyaan hoga (only if cow is revered, the country will prosper)," his order had stated. He had further observed in the order that no one can claim a fundamental right to eat the meat of the cow, and called for a law to declare "cow protection a fundamental right of Hindus." Read more about the observations here: Scientists Believe Cow Is The Only Animal That Inhales & Exhales Oxygen; No Fundamental Right To Eat Cow-Beef : Allahabad High Court In October 2021, granting bail to one Akash Jatav, booked for an FB post against Lord Rama & Lord Krishna, Justice Yadav stressed that no one has the right to hurt the religious sentiments of others in the name of the right to freedom of speech and expression and that Lord Rama & Krishna reside in the heart of Indians. Justice Yadav also said that the Parliament should pass a law respecting/honoring Shri Rama, Shri Krishna, Gita, Ramayana, Maharishi Valmiki, and Maharishi Ved Vyas as they are part of India's culture and tradition. He also observed that Hindu religious books like the Gita, Ramayana, etc, must be made part of school courses. Read more about his observations here: "Lord Rama & Krishna Reside In The Heart Of Indians": Allahabad High Court While Granting Bail To Man...

From Believing 'Cow Exhales Oxygen' To Praising PM : A Look At Justice Shekhar Yadav's Controversial Remarks

Sparsh Upadhyay

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