Every year, on April 14, the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, the Indian Republic proudly hails him as a prominent nationalist idol. Some politicians feel obliged to honour Babasaheb for vote bank politics. Some others vow to follow the path set by him but fail to walk the talk and do the opposite. They pretend to believe in the India of Babasaheb’s dreams.
Babasaheb Ambedkar, the main architect of the Indian Constitution, in his last speech to the Constituent Assembly gave expression to some of his angsts regarding the future of India. “Will Indians place the country above their creed or will they place creed above country? I do not know. But this much is certain that if the parties place creed above country, our Independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and probably be lost forever. This eventuality we must all resolutely guard against. We must be determined to defend our Independence with the last drop of our blood… What would happen to her democratic Constitution? Will she be able to maintain it or will she lose it again?” Will Ambedkar’s worst fears come true in our times? As the institutions and values protected by the Constitution are under sustained attack, Is India of Babasaheb’s vision in danger?
Babasaheb Ambedkar, as chairman of the drafting committee of India’s Constitution, envisioned the idea of India based on the principles of social justice and inclusivity. His commitment of creating a just society and inclusive nation became the bedrock of our Constitution. His penetrating vision shaped the ideology of our Constitution and laid a strong foundation for a powerful, cohesive and inclusive India. A critical introspection of the present scenario only reveals that we as a nation are deviating from the founding principles of our Constitution.
One of the key indicators that India is deviating from its egalitarian polity is the rising authoritarian character of the ruling leadership. Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, Harvard professors and political scientists in their book ‘How Democracies Die’ say that resorting to authoritarianism by leaders causes a gradual death of democracy. In our time the independence and integrity of democratic institutions, which is crucial for the functioning and survival of a healthy democracy, is decaying. The Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary – the three pillars of Indian Democracy are being weakened by the day.
The Constitutional methods of dialogue and debate in the legislature are subverted. Any form of questioning or expression of alternative views is stifled. The opposition members are expelled or suspended from the Parliament for raising questions on pertinent and serious issues are often termed as ‘anti-nationals’. During the last winter session of the Parliament, 146 opposition MPs from both Houses of the Parliament were suspended for holding the government accountable for its governance and functioning. Such arbitrary suspensions and silencing of opposition voices is to roll out an era of ‘opposition mukt” Parliament, a fertile condition for the upsurge of fascism and dictatorship. Ravivarma Kumar, former Advocate General of Karnataka, delivering the keynote address at a recent two-day seminar on ‘Anxieties of Democracy in Contemporary India’, termed the functioning of the Legislature during the last 10 years as the ‘dark age of Indian Parliament’.
The Executive, comprising the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister, is often reduced to mere nominal figures. It is all a one-man show. The President, the formal head of the Executive, has been humiliated by excluding her from the inauguration of the new Parliament building or the consecration of Sri Ram temple at Ayodhya. Yashwant Sinha, ex-IAS and former Finance and External Affairs Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, addressing a press conference during his presidential candidature alleged that “the Union Cabinet and Parliament had become dysfunctional under the present regime and they want the President’s office too to be a rubber stamp.”
There are also concerns of interference and subjugation of the judiciary. The New Bill on Appointment of Election Commissioners, 2023 is an assault on the Judiciary. Earlier, the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had ruled that election commissioners should be selected by a committee comprising of the Prime Minister, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India (CJI) ensuring an adequate check and balance. However, this Bill undermines the Judiciary by excluding the CJI from the selection committee and destroys the constitutional independence of the Election Commission.
A few days back a group of lawyers with alleged political leanings with the ruling dispensation wrote a letter addressed to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud about alleged pressure on the Supreme Court by a few groups of lawyers. In an unprecedented way, this same letter was quickly endorsed by the Prime Minister by posting it on ‘X’. Such an act is contemptuous to the judiciary and an attack on the wisdom of the Supreme Court. The recent resignation of a judge from the Calcutta High Court and joining the BJP to contest the Lok Sabha election has raised questions about dwindling judicial independence.
BabasahebAmbedkar, in his last speech to the Constituent Assembly, had warned of such subversion and degradation of democratic institutions. He said, “If we are interested in maintaining democracy we need to observe the caution which John Stuart Mill gave, namely, not to lay their liberties at the feet of even a great man, or to trust him with power which enables him to subvert their institutions… the path of Bhakti or hero-worship in politics is a sure road to degradation and eventual dictatorship.”
The 18thLok Sabha general elections hold great significance for our democratic republic and its future. It is another tryst with our country’s destiny. We have a historic task to elect a leadership with a strong commitment to the constitutional ideals and vision of Babasaheb Ambedkar for regenerating India on the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity and guaranteeing social, economic, and political justice for all citizens.
The writer is a member of the Society of Pilar. He is a Clinical Psychologist and the Editor of ‘Fr. Agnel’s Call’, a monthly mission and youth magazine
