'Can Trigger Narrative': Vice President Reacts After SC's 'Caged Parrot' Comment On CBI

Following a recent Supreme Court judge's observation that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should shed its image as a "caged parrot," Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar highlighted the need for cooperation between key state institutions. Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Dhankhar underscored the importance of the Judiciary, Legislature, and Executive working together to safeguard democratic values and uphold the Constitution.

“All organs of the state – Judiciary, Legislature, and Executive – have a single purpose: to ensure the success of the fundamental spirit of the Constitution, to guarantee all rights to the common people, and to help India prosper and flourish,” the Vice President said during the inauguration of the Samvidhan Mandir at Elphinstone Technical High School and Junior College.

The Vice President underscored that institutions must be aware of their limitations, both obvious and subtle. He warned that inflammatory political debates or narratives that undermine the institutions of the state could harm their ability to function effectively.

''They need to work in tandem and togetherness to nurture and blossom democratic values and further Constitutional ideals.  Let these sacred platforms not trigger points of political inflammatory debate that is detrimental to established institutions that serve the nation well in a challenging and daunting environment.

Our institutions perform their duty under tight situations and damaging observations can despirit them. It can set a political debate afloat and trigger a narrative.
We have to be extremely conscious about our Institutions. They are robust, they are working independently under the rule of law and there are suitable checks and balances.'' 

All organs of state have one common objective: संविधान की मूल भावना सफल हो, आम आदमी को सब अधिकार मिलें, भारत फले और फूले।

They need to work in tandem and togetherness to nurture and blossom democratic values and further Constitutional ideals.

Let these sacred platforms not… pic.twitter.com/lBUMlVfWFK — Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) September 15, 2024

SC Judge's 'Caged Parrot' Remark on CBI

The Vice President’s comments came in the wake of remarks made by Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan during a judgment on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s petition regarding his arrest in a case linked to alleged irregularities in Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy. While granting bail to Kejriwal, Justice Bhuyan noted that in a democracy governed by the rule of law, the perception of institutions matters, and the CBI must be seen as independent.

Justice Bhuyan cited an earlier instance where the CBI was compared to a "caged parrot" by the Supreme Court, calling for the agency to dispel that image. “It is imperative that CBI dispels the notion of it being a caged parrot. Rather, the perception should be that of an uncaged parrot,” he wrote in his judgment.

Political Backlash

The "caged parrot" comment triggered a political backlash, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launching a scathing attack on the central government and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned Shah’s leadership, stating that the Supreme Court's criticism of the CBI raised concerns about the Union Home Ministry's oversight of the agency.

"The Union home minister should resign as this raises questions on him. The Supreme Court called the CBI a caged parrot," Bharadwaj stated, adding fuel to the ongoing political debate