Politics is not my cup of tea… Former Justice Chittaranjan Das breaks his/her silence on his/her relations with RSS and rejoining it.

New Delhi: ‘RSS taught me that whatever profession you are in, you are working for the country. Politics is not my cup of tea, I will not get involved in it. This is what Chittaranjan Das, the third most senior judge of Calcutta High Court, has to say. Justice Das was transferred to Calcutta High Court in the year 2022. Now on his/her retirement he/she said that he/she was associated with RSS in the initial days. Even today he/she wants to go back to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. In an interview given to Indian Express, he/she also made it clear that politics is not his/her cup of tea and he/she will stay away from it.

Why is former Calcutta High Court Justice Das in the headlines?

The Calcutta High Court on Monday bid farewell to former Justice Chittaranjan Das in a full-court reference. Chittaranjan Das graduated in law from Madhusudan Law College, Cuttack in 1985. Chittaranjan Das then obtained the LLM degree at Utkal University as a non-collegiate candidate. he/she enrolled as an advocate in 1986 and joined the service in the cadre of Orissa Superior Judicial Service (Senior Branch). In 2022, he/she was transferred to the Calcutta High Court. Interestingly, in his/her farewell speech on Monday, he/she came into limelight after he/she revealed his/her past association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In an interview given to Indian Express, he/she told when and how he/she joined RSS. he/she also gave information about what his/her future plans are.

Chittaranjan Das told how he/she was associated with RSS

How and when to join RSS? Former Justice Chittaranjan Das said that I was very mischievous in my childhood. One day he/she was fighting with another boy, when shakha pracharak Nand Kishore Shukla came there. he/she came in between and separated us. Then we were instructed to come to the branch. Now after retirement I am looking for Nand Kishore Shukla. I want to meet him/her if he/she is alive. Chittaranjan Das told that I got to learn many good qualities in the branch, like tolerance, patience, ideal values ​​of life. I learned that whatever field you work in, be dedicated to your work while treating everyone equally irrespective of caste, creed etc. The Sangh taught us that whatever profession you are in, you are working for the country.

‘I have never been biased against anyone’

What inspired you to comment about RSS in your farewell speech? Former Justice Chittaranjan Das said, ‘As a member of the Sangh, I have learned many good qualities which have helped me in delivering justice. This line automatically came to my mind on my farewell speech. I had never thought of giving such a speech. I never thought that I would say that I am associated with RSS. I felt that if I say this, it may create controversy. After my speech, there were a lot of negative comments, but I don’t care because I am retired and I have done my job. I have never been biased against anyone. All I can say is that if you want to be a completely unbiased person, go to RSS.

I was not associated with RSS for last 37 years- Former Justice Das

How much did you personally benefit from joining RSS? Ex Justice Das said, ‘You can ask the Bar, you can ask those who have been associated with me. I was not associated with RSS for the last 37 years. My father died prematurely when I was 53 years old. I did not have time to give to the Sangh. I had also got my license by then. I devoted my entire time to advocacy. Even now I have no connection with anyone from RSS. I want to reconnect with this relationship now that I am free. People know what kind of person I am.

‘I was in the Sangh till the age of 28’

There is criticism that judges should not be associated with organizations. What do you have to say about this? The former judge of Calcutta High Court said, ‘I want to ask a question to those who are criticizing, when you were born, did you know what you would do? Did you know in your childhood that you will become a singer, a judge, a writer, a bureaucrat, a professor or a lecturer? I also did not know that I would go to the judiciary. I didn’t want to be a hypocrite, so I mentioned it. I was in the Sangh till the age of 28, now I am 60 years old.

Former Justice Das said that I had joined this service in 1999. RSS, Janata Dal or BJP or TMC did not help me in joining judicial service. I am ignoring such criticisms. I remained associated with the Sangh till the age of 28. After my father’s death, judiciary came to me not by choice but by chance. My father Justice Jagadeshwar Das was a famous Justice in Odisha Kolkata.

Former judge Chittaranjan Das spoke openly on RSS

After your comments about RSS in your farewell speech, some people are questioning your decisions. how do you feel about this? Former Justice Chittaranjan Das said, ‘It is not difficult to be impartial because RSS does not inculcate education in anyone’s mind. It trains your overall personality. From the very first day I entered the judiciary, I knew that I would have to develop a constitutional conscience over time.

On the question regarding BJP and RSS, Chittaranjan Das said that I will not join politics, I do not like politics. It’s not my cup of tea. Sages and saints do not align with political parties, but if they do, what harm are they doing? Instead of allying with Mamata Banerjee, they are allying with BJP, is this wrong? I don’t see anything wrong in this. When he/she was asked that you talked about returning to the Sangh, now what role do you want to play for the RSS after retirement? Chittaranjan Das said that I would like to return. I would like to work for the union. If they contact me, I will go. What role I will actually play, I don’t know. All I want to say is that since I have time, if they approach me, I will work for the union. This is his/her personal choice.