Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said he was “proud” of the Indian youth and clarified that he had been “misquoted” by a “section of the media” as having called them “cockroaches” and “parasites”.
In an official statement, Justice Kant said some of his oral observations had been directed specifically at people who had entered the legal and “other noble professions” with the aid of fake degrees. It was these people he had likened to parasites, he said.
“I am pained to read how a section of the media has misquoted my oral observations made during the hearing of a frivolous case yesterday. What I had specifically criticised were those who have entered professions like the Bar (legal profession) with the aid of fake and bogus degrees,” the statement said.
“Similar persons have sneaked into the media, social media, and other noble professions as well, and hence, they are like parasites.”
Justice Kant added: “It is totally baseless to suggest that I criticised the youth of our nation. Not only am I proud of our present and future human resource, but every youth of India inspires me. It is not an exaggeration to say that Indian youth have great regard and respect for me, and I too see them as the pillars of a developed India.”
The Chief Justice had on Friday described a section of “youngsters” as “cockroaches” and “parasites” over their posting irresponsible media and social media comments.
He had warned of a CBI inquiry into the possibly fake law degrees of some Delhi advocates who he said were engaged in posting contemptuous and vile remarks against the judiciary.
“There are already parasites in society who attack the system and you want to join them? There are youngsters like cockroaches,” Justice Kant had told an advocate.
“They don’t get any employment and don’t have any place in the profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, some of them become RTI activists and some of them become other activists. They start attacking everyone.”
The other judge on the bench was Justice Joymalya Bagchi.