Calcutta HC Judge Chitta Ranjan Dash Ready to Return to RSS: Farewell Speech

'Ready to go back to RSS': Calcutta High Court Judge Chitta Ranjan Dash States in Farewell Speech

Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash mentioned that he had distanced himself from the RSS for approximately 37 years due to his legal profession.

Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash, who retired as a judge of the Calcutta High Court on Monday, disclosed that he was and remains a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He expressed his willingness to return to the organization if they required any assistance or involvement.

"In a revelation that may not sit well with certain individuals, I must acknowledge that I have been and continue to be a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)... I owe a great deal to the organization... My association with it dates back to my childhood and has continued through my youth," Justice Dash stated during his farewell address at the high court.

Justice Dash mentioned that he had kept a distance from the organization for approximately 37 years due to his legal profession.

"I have never utilized my membership in the organization to further my career, as it goes against its principles... I treat everyone equally, whether they are rich or poor, whether they belong to the Communist Party, BJP, Congress, or TMC. All are equal in my eyes; I harbor no bias towards anyone or any specific political ideology or group," he remarked.

Justice Dash further added that since he hadn't done anything wrong in his life, he had the courage to openly declare his affiliation with the RSS. "If I am a good person, I cannot belong to a bad organization," he asserted.

Stepping down after serving as a high court judge for over 14 years, Justice Dash remarked, "I have learned to be courageous, honest, and to treat everyone equally. Moreover, I hold a strong sense of patriotism and dedication to my work... I endeavored to administer justice based on empathy. While the law can be interpreted to achieve justice, justice itself cannot be compromised to adhere to the law."

Born in 1962 in Sonepur, Odisha, Justice Dash graduated in law from Madhu Sudan Law College in Cuttack in 1985.

In 1986, he began his career as an advocate, and in 1992, he was appointed as an additional standing counsel for the state government, a position he held until 1994. Justice Dash joined the Orissa Superior Judicial Service (Senior Branch) in February 1999 as a direct recruit. He was subsequently appointed as an additional judge of the Orissa High Court in October 2009.

On June 20, 2022, he assumed the position of a judge at the Calcutta High Court following a transfer.

Throughout his career, Justice Dash found himself embroiled in controversy when he was part of a bench that issued a judgment outlining certain codes of conduct for adolescent girls to 'manage their sexual urges'.