Kerala Congress apologises to CJI over ‘controversial post’
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Tuesday apologised to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant over a controversial post published on the official X account of the Kerala Congress unit.
The apology came in a reply to a legal notice issued by a Supreme Court lawyer.
KPCC president Sunny Joseph, in his reply, said the post had been published without authorisation and did not represent the official position of the Congress party.
He also said the person responsible had been removed from the position.
The post was published by Vijay Thottathil, according to the reply.
The controversy had erupted when the Kerala Congress unit’s official X account carried remarks targeting the Chief Justice during a protest by the INDIA bloc.
The march to the Supreme Court was organised as part of the opposition alliance’s demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The post expressed anger over the Chief Justice’s reported position that he could not meet INDIA bloc leaders because of legal issues.
It carried the provocative remark, “Surya Kant, resign. We will find a replacement for you.”
The post triggered a political and legal controversy, given that it was directed at the head of the country’s judiciary.
The Kerala Congress unit subsequently withdrew it.
The latest clarification from the KPCC president, also the State Power Minister, seeks to distance the party from the remarks.
By stating that the post was unauthorised, the state Congress leadership has maintained that it was not an expression of the party’s official position.
The removal of the person responsible, as stated in the reply, was also cited as part of the action taken over the incident.
The episode had placed the Congress unit in an embarrassing position at a time when the INDIA bloc was protesting against the Chief Election Commissioner.
The march was intended to focus attention on the opposition’s demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, but the controversial social media post shifted attention to the Congress unit’s own conduct.
The KPCC’s reply to the legal notice has now placed on record its claim that the post was unauthorised and its expression of regret to the Chief Justice.