Chief Justice Surya Kant on Saturday claimed that his reported remarks comparing some unemployed youngsters to “cockroaches” had been misquoted by sections of the media, Live Law reported.

Kant said it was baseless to claim that he criticised young people in general.

Earlier in the day, the chief justice had been quoted as saying by PTI that some unemployed youngsters were like “cockroaches”, and that they go on to become social media or Right to Information Act activists and start attacking the “system”, PTI reported.

The remarks were made when a bench of Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi pulled up a lawyer for filing a petition seeking directions to the Delhi High Court to designate him as a senior advocate, The Indian Express reported.

There were already enough “parasites” in society attacking the judiciary, he said, adding that lawyers should not join hands with them.

“There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don’t get any employment or have any place in profession,” PTI quoted Kant as saying. “Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists and other activists and they start attacking everyone.”

After the remarks were criticised on social media, Kant claimed he had specifically criticised “those who have entered professions like the Bar [legal profession] with the aid of fake and bogus degrees,” according to Live Law.

“Similar persons have sneaked into the media, social media, and other noble professions as well, and hence, they are like parasites,” he said.

The chief justice was further quoted as saying: “Not only am I proud of our present and future human resource, but every youth of India inspires me,” the chief justice was quoted as saying by Live Law. “It is not an exaggeration to say that Indian youth have great regard and respect for me, and I too see them as the pillars of a developed India.”

The case

The petitioner told the bench that it was the third time that he was moving the Supreme Court, The Indian Express reported. He argued that the High Court had failed to comply with an earlier direction of the top court to reconsider the matter expeditiously, and had deferred or rejected applications.

The counsel for the High Court told the bench that interviews for the position of a senior advocate were underway.

Kant told the petitioner that the “whole world might be eligible for senior designation, but at least you are not”, The Indian Express reported.

The chief justice added that if the High Court makes the petitioner a senior advocate, the Supreme Court will “set it aside” on account of his “professional conduct”.

Bagchi also asked if the petitioner had no other matter to pursue, the newspaper reported. “This is the standing of a person who expects to be conferred a senior gown?” the judge was quoted as having asked.

The chief justice claimed that a large number of law degrees in Delhi could be fake, adding that the Supreme Court would want the Central Bureau of Investigation to verify this because the Bar Council of India was not taking any action, The Indian Express reported.

While dismissing the petition, the Supreme Court said that the petitioner “indulges in filing frivolous petitions”, according to the newspaper.

The petitioner apologised and sought permission to withdraw the petition. The bench agreed to let him withdraw his application.

Edited by Nachiket Deuskar and Neerad Pandharipande.