Bhubaneswar, Jan 14 (IANS): Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP and Supreme Court lawyer Pinaki Mishra on Saturday said the entral government is trying to choke the judiciary to ensure it ceased to function.

"In last three years, there is a systematic interference by the union government in the judicial system. They are trying to choke it," said Mishra at the Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Literary Meet (TSBLM) here.

The BJD MP was responding to the recent development where four judges of the Supreme Court come out in open against the Chief Justice of India.

He said much taller people have manned these institutions.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said it's a matter of national concern and it should be resolved.

"If there is controversy, strife and differences within the institution, it's a matter of national concern. What happened is unfortunate and unprecedented. Therefore, it is in the interest of the integrity of the institution that the matter should be resolved," said Tiwari.

He said nobody is trying to score a political brownie point over the issue.

The last day of the literary festival began with conversation between senior journalists Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and Barkha Dutt. Malavika Bannerjee filled in with a conversation with the two guests on the integrity of television media nowadays.

Another session of the day saw a conversation between eminent actress and director Nandita Das and renowned actress Rasika Dugal with Tanaya Patnaik as the moderator. They talked about their upcoming Indian biographical historical period drama film, Manto.

Besides, the presence of short stories in Odia literature and the never-ending joy it provides the reader with were discussed among the Odia writers.