Opportunity for a Tamilian to become SC judge lost: Karunanidhi on Gopal Subramanium

Chennai: Former Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK chief K Karunanidhi has expressed concern over the row over former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium who withdrew his name from the list sent to the government for appointment as Supreme Court judges.

Karunanidhi noted that it was an opportunity for a Tamilian to occupy the coveted post that was lost now.

He wondered if the role of the former senior law officer in the alleged Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake ebcounter case was the "reason" behind his rejection.

"Gopal Subramanium was the amicus curiae in the Sohrabuddin case," Karunanidhi, said, adding, Amit Shah, the "advisor" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was later arrested by the CBI in the case.

"Does this happen to be the reason for the rejection of Gopal Subramanium,?" Karunanidhi asked in a statement. "Whatever it may be, an opportunity to Tamil Nadu is lost", he said.

Describing as "regrettable," the loss of opportunity to a person belonging to Tamil Nadu to become a Judge of the apex court, the DMK chief said "not only he belongs to Tamil Nadu, he is also an experienced senior advocate." He had worked efficiently for eight years as Additional Solicitor General and later as Solicitor General, he said.

Referring to an affidavit of the Centre in a case in the Madras High Court which said that the "maritime boundary between India and Sri Lanka is a settled matter," Karunanidhi said it was shocking.

Stressing that Katchatheevu, an islet ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974 was an integral part of India, he said there was adequate documentary proof to substantiate the contention.

Earlier Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had urged Modi to direct officials to file a revised affidavit reflecting the concerns of Tamil Nadu in the Madras High Court in a case related to the Katchatheevu issue.

The Supreme Court collegium headed by the Chief Justice of India had recommended names of four eminent persons as judges of the apex court but the government cleared the names of Chief Justices of Calcutta and Orissa High Courts, Arun Mishra and Adarsh Kumar Goyal respectively, and lawyer Rohinton Nariman, leaving out the former Solicitor General.

The Chief Justice of India RM Lodha had also criticised the government for segregating Subramanium's file without his knowledge.

(With inputs from PTI)