In a courtroom that crackled with tension, the Kerala High Court delivered a sharp rebuke to former CPI(M) legislator R Rajesh for a Facebook post that accused the presiding judge of ideological bias. Justice DK Singh, currently hearing a matter tied to university administration and student politics, declared he would initiate suo motu criminal contempt proceedings against Rajesh for attempting to malign the court’s integrity.
The controversy took root in a bitter administrative clash at Kerala University, where Registrar Dr. KS Anil Kumar had been suspended after objecting to the display of a Bharat Mata portrait featuring a saffron flag at a university event attended by Governor Rajendra Arlekar. The incident spiraled into political theatre, pitting academic protocol against ideological symbolism.
Rajesh’s now-viral Facebook post accused the bench handling university matters of being sympathetic to the Sangh Parivar—a veiled dig at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its ideological affiliates. Justice Singh was unequivocal in his response: “He can’t get away with this,” he said from the bench. “He is a litigant. Judgment has been reserved in his petition. And yet he had the audacity to post that? Over my grave only can he pressure me.”
There was no mincing of words. Justice Singh, reflecting on his judicial career and roots in the Allahabad High Court, said he had seen and withstood worse. “I’m not the kind of judge who can be cowed down. I’ve not taken this seat to bend to pressure. Tell him—howsoever good he thinks he is—only over my dead body.”
The matter unfolded during the hearing of Dr. Kumar’s petition, which challenged his suspension by the Vice Chancellor. The suspension had followed his last-minute cancellation of the Bharat Mata portrait event, citing potential unrest due to its religious symbolism. Notably, the cancellation notice was issued just before the Governor reached the venue, triggering accusations of impropriety.
Dr. Kumar argued his decision was driven by campus safety concerns, not political provocation. On Monday, his counsel informed the Court that the university syndicate had reinstated him, despite opposition from the acting Vice Chancellor. With his job restored, Dr. Kumar sought to withdraw the case, which the Court allowed.
Still, the storm did not pass quietly. The judge remained visibly agitated by Rajesh’s online commentary, seeing it not as free speech but an attempt to influence a pending judicial order. “Disparaging the judge, dragging the court’s name into the mud—this cannot be tolerated. We are being far too lenient,” Justice Singh said.
In a moment of high drama, the courtroom turned from a space of administrative review into a battleground for defending the judiciary’s honor. Whether contempt proceedings will proceed or whether the ex-MLA will issue a retraction remains to be seen. One thing, however, was made crystal clear: Justice Singh isn’t one to take shots lying down.
