New Delhi: Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash, who retired from the Calcutta High Court on Monday, revealed during his farewell speech that he was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Addressing judges and members of the bar, Justice Dash expressed his willingness to rejoin the RSS and offer his assistance or expertise if called upon by the organisation.
"To the distaste of some persons, I must admit here that I was and I am a member of the RSS", he said, according to PTI.
Demitting office after over 14 years as a high court judge, Justice Dash came to the Calcutta HC from the Orissa HC on transfer. Justice Dash expressed deep gratitude to the RSS, saying, "I owe a lot to the organisation... I am there from my childhood and throughout my youth, he said.
"I have learnt to be courageous, upright and have an equal view for others and above all, the sense of patriotism and commitment to the work", he added.
Justice Dash, disclosed that he had distanced himself from the RSS for approximately 37 years due to his professional responsibilities. He emphasised that he never leveraged his RSS membership for career advancement, as it would contradict the organisation's principles.
He affirmed his commitment to impartiality, stating that he treated everyone equally, regardless of their socio-economic status or political affiliation, whether they were from the BJP, Congress, TMC, or communists.
"All are equal before me, I do not hold any bias for anyone or for any particular political philosophy or mechanism", he said, adding that he tried to dispense justice on the principles of empathy and that law can be bent to do justice, but justice cannot be bent to suit the law.
Asserting his integrity, Justice Dash stated that his affiliation with the organisation was not a wrongdoing, emphasising that if he was a good person, he couldn't belong to a bad organisation.
Born in 1962 in Odisha's Sonepur, Dash received his schooling in Ullunda and pursued higher studies in Dhenkanal and Bhubaneswar. He graduated in law in Cuttack in 1985.
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He enrolled as an advocate in 1986. He served as an additional standing counsel of the state government from 1992 to 1994, as per the Calcutta High Court's website.
Subsequently, in February 1999, he joined the Orissa Superior Judicial Service (Senior Branch) as a direct recruit. His judicial journey continued as he was elevated to the position of additional judge of the Odisha High Court in October 2009.