Our Constitution was drafted by those who fought for Independent India and were privy to the horrors and violence of two world wars, Partition, religious, caste and language discrimination. We wanted an India where each citizen could be guaranteed peace with liberty, justice, fraternity and equality with unity in diversity. To quote President Ram Nath Kovind “The citizen empowers the Constitution by following it, by adhering to it, by protecting it, and by persevering to make it more meaningful with words and deeds”. The fine words belie the foul deeds we see all around, from false promises, untruths, to lynchings due rumours, mobs laying down the law, cover ups, to loud mouths spewing hate and even stooping so low as to denigrate parents and even grandparents of the PM and Opposition leader. The Prime minister himself for example goes to town accusing the Congress of delaying the Supreme Court judgment in the Ayodhya case by frightening the judges with threat of impeachment! In fact that is exactly what the RSS/BJP seems to be doing regarding Sabrimala and Ayodhya by backing/inciting people against/ not awaiting the court decision?
The reality is that money and muscle power are exhibited freely by the political parties. The Shiv Sena is projecting power today in Ayodhya, their strong arm brand of politics going unchecked due political expediencies. The BJP and Hindutva forces assembled huge crowds of sadhus, devotees and militant outfits at Ayodhya and New Delhi to keep pressurising the government to bring in an ordinance, permitting building the Ram Mandir immediately, at any cost! Where are we heading? Besides “Thugs of Hindusthan (not referring to the movie but police/mobs), another “Banana Republic of Hindusthan” (referring to India) is heard, seen and written about more often these days. Why is this? Because extra constitutional powers/mobs can freely operate and impose their writ with impunity with “caged” law and order agencies standing by watching, thus encouraging and emboldening such activities despite Section 144 promulgated! The RSS with their political arm the BJP, saffron outfits, militant Senas and fanatics have certain ideas that are not reflected in our Constitution. They forcefully want to impose what they consider is Indian morality, culture and traditions no matter how regressive and unwelcome some of them may be to others!
The BJP is ideally placed with the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Speaker, most governors, Chief Ministers and heads of many vital institutions in the hands of the government having a majority in Parliament and most of the big States. They came to power on promises of Sab Ke Saath. There is no doubt that the political scenario is changing, so they are in a mighty hurry to push through their ideology and rewrite history to reflect their philosophy! Building of mighty statues, changing of names of cities, buildings and places to eradicate what once was and replace with what they will spell out. The Prime Minister of India is in continuous election mode for the BJP and is silent on the many issues where he should have been most vocal! The Mann Ki Baat and interviews with chosen media is a one way street. Open press conferences are rarely held, fake news/expensive advertisements filling the information spaces available to the public, controlling the information for influencing the minds of the citizen. Sad to point out that his language sometimes does not behoove the office of a Prime Minister. If the Opposition is stooping low, ruling party need not stoop lower. The party with a difference could behave with exemplary decorum and dignity, truth and accountability, which would be a superior rebuff! You cannot fool all the people (majority and minority communities) all the time.
People are caste and religious conscious, so all parties play the emotional card pandering to religion, castes and sentiments. For example Yogi Adityanath even propounds that Hanuman was a Dalit? After Modi and Amit Shah, he is their poster boy. The cow apparently gets priority over human lives and also women’s safety and rights. For a Yogi as Chief Minister, to reportedly sanction fake encounters by police, preach hate, exhibit superiority, prejudice and encourage lawless Gaurakshas is illegal and unholy! It is frankly disgusting to keep denigrating, even after 4 plus years in power, whatever the Congress did from inception was all wrong and all the BJP has done and is doing everything right. The people are aware what was wrong then and is terribly wrong now, and voted the Congress out and BJP in to rectify precisely what was wrong? And if the BJP gets power drunk and arrogant, governing with scant transparency and accountability to “we the people”, the people of India must ensure they get a government they all deserve. It appears our educational institutions require complete overhaul, as they seem to give qualifications without education and turn out superstitious/prejudiced citizens rather than those with an open mind.
The results of the recent elections are a lesson for the Sang Parrivar and Modi’s “Congress muft” India obsession! CJI of India rightly stated “The Constitution is the voice of the marginalised as well as the prudence of the majority and continues to be the guide in moments of crisis and uncertainty”. Democracy, no one above the law, justice for all as spelt out in our Constitution is the right way! “Satye Mayve Jayate”.
(The author is a retired naval officer and a freelance writer residing in Porvorim)
