New Delhi, February 25 – As the Supreme Court expressed serious concern on Wednesday over a chapter on "corruption" in the judiciary included in an NCERT Class 8 textbook, former Union Minister for Law and Justice Ashwani Kumar backed the court's observation, stating that teaching children of a vulnerable age about judicial corruption is not only incorrect but also unethical.
Speaking to IANS, Ashwani Kumar said, "I am glad that the Honourable Chief Justice of India has taken this matter seriously. As the head of the Indian judiciary and the judicial branch of the State, he has exercised his constitutional duty to ensure that the entire institution is not defamed or dragged into unnecessary controversy, particularly when it concerns children of a vulnerable age. It is wrong for any nation to teach its children about the inadequacies of its institutions in a manner that tarnishes the entire system."
He further stated, "The chapter included in the NCERT curriculum for young students on judicial corruption is wholly misconceived, reprehensible, and condemnable. The judiciary, as an institution of the Indian democratic framework, has made an immense contribution towards strengthening and safeguarding democracy."
Kumar added that presenting the subject in such a manner risks unfairly generalizing and damaging the credibility of the institution.
"To teach children of a vulnerable age about judicial corruption is not only incorrect but also unethical. One cannot paint the entire judiciary with the same brush. Any attempt to defame the judiciary as a whole or undermine it as an institution is wholly unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms," he told IANS.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Tariq Anwar also reacted to the Chief Justice’s remarks, stating that the Supreme Court had taken the right step in raising concerns over the content of the textbook.
Tariq Anwar said, "The Chief Justice has taken absolutely the right step. The government seems to have lost its way. The way history is being altered in textbooks, events are being changed, and now this new thing — mentioning corruption in the judiciary and discussing it — I believe the Supreme Court has taken the right cognisance of this."
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stressed that the court won't allow anyone to "defame the institution" and that he has taken cognisance and may initiate suo motu action.
"Please wait for a few days. Bar and Bench all are perturbed. All High Court judges are perturbed. I will take up the matter suo motu. I will not allow anyone to defame the institution. Law will take its course," the Chief Justice underlined.
The top court's reaction came after senior lawyer Kapil Sibal on Tuesday informed the court that the NCERT is teaching Class 8 students about "judicial corruption", adding it is a matter of grave concern.
"The NCERT's Class 8 book includes a section on corruption in the judiciary! What about the massive corruption of politicians, including ministers, public servants, investigation agencies, and why governments? Brush them under the carpet!" Sibal had earlier said in a post on X.