Narendra Modi is a disappointment only because he is also a hope.’ — From the book ‘A New Idea of India’
Study of Political Science teaches that people do not know what they want; therefore, it is the duty of the government to give them what they want. But the question arises, who is this government who is expected to give? And does the government really know what the people want?
In our country, as in America, it is “We the People” who give to ourselves the kind of government we want; because it is “We the People” who choose our government through an electoral process.
Which is why governments have various schemes and programmes to give people (rich and poor) what they do not know what they want! To jest, for the rich tax cut. To the poor freebies! Under our Democratic Constitution, we have a number of Constitutional Institutions and Constitutional Authorities — Parliament (MPs); Executive (bureaucrats); Judiciary (Judges) and various Commissions like Election, Finance, UPSC, CAG, now GST etc. etc.
For Democracy to be stable and function efficiently, the Parliament, which is supreme and sovereign must ensure that all the Constitutional Institutions and Authorities are functioning as per the laws and the Constitutional Morality.
It is here we find our politicians a big problem. They are the obstructionists rather than the facilitators. Ronald Reagan, former US President, knew this very well. In his inaugural address in 1981 he said, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” The same could be said of UPA 2004-2014 government and today’s NDA government, from 2014 till date. Yes, Modi has done much in the last 11 years but has also left much undone despite the opportunity.
Unfortunately, after the years of Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri, our Constitution was violated and recklessly amended. This vandalising of the Constitutional Institutions, including Judiciary, began from Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the Congress Prime Minister, who succeeded Shastri. Her first move was a gambit. The Preamble of the Constitution, said to have been drafted by her father Nehru, was considered sacrosanct. But she audaciously tampered with it by adding two words — Socialist and Secular. This ensured a Congress vote-bank for her party’s electoral constituency. Many amendments to the Constitution followed, laws were passed ignoring the aspirations and sentiments of majority Hindus. Next her focus was on Judiciary.
During her period, the Judiciary, specially the Supreme Court and the High Courts, became effete, a hand-maiden and naturally captive, honourable exceptions apart. Only Judges with highest standards of morality, integrity and character could resist tempting allurements of money and office offered in exchange for favourable judicial orders.
Just one example. Raj Narain had filed a petition against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s election to the Lok Sabha in 1971 in the Allahabad High Court. Justice Jagmohanlal Sinha heard the case and was to deliver the judgement (after four long years). Fearing the judgement may go against Indira Gandhi, her two cronies tried to bribe the Judge first with Rs. 5 lakh and then an elevation to the Supreme Court “after the judgement.” Justice Sinha merely looked at the person who made this offer, one MP and a brother judge, with contempt. The judgement, as we know, unseated her and the rest is dark history.
It was a time when “We the People” of India realised that Judicial Corruption is more dangerous than the Bureaucratic Corruption because it endangers a citizen’s fundamental right to life, liberty and property embedded in our Constitution — Article 20, 21 and 22. Ironically, today we see a member of Indira Gandhi’s family going around the country holding a ‘fake’ copy of the Constitution like the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Those who lived through the days of 1975 Emergency will know. It was a nightmare India should never forget. The present generation must learn about what had happened to our Democracy and fundamental rights by reading books written by veteran journalists like Kuldeep Nayyar, Coomi Kapoor and others.
In pursuing power, Indira Gandhi has no match in Indian politics since independence. In October 1962, China attacked India and Nehru was blamed, so much so the whole country turned against him because of the reverses we suffered. V.K. Krishna Menon, then Defence Minister, advised Nehru to impose internal Emergency. But Nehru, a real democrat, ruled it out on the ground that it would harm the democratic tradition. In sharp contrast, Indira Gandhi’s approach to Democracy was just contrary to her father Nehru’s.
In 1975, Indira Gandhi had absolute majority in the Parliament. She was the Queen. Sadly, our present Prime Minister Modi could not become the King between 2014 and 2024 though he too had absolute majority in 2019 because he believed in the Constitution and its sanctity. He remained a humble Prime Minister!!
From the day of the declaration of Emergency till 1977 election, it was the rule of Sanjay Gandhi, younger son of Indira Gandhi, who wielded power without responsibility. The combined opposition Janata Party won the 1977 election. But due to internal squabbles, Janata Party fragmented and the government fell. In the ensuing election in 1980, Indira Gandhi triumphantly came back to power and Sanjay Gandhi became the de facto Prime Minister till, sadly, his life was cut short in a plane crash piloted by himself.
Unfortunately, “We the People” experienced the same kind of administration between 2004 and 2014 when Sonia Gandhi was the de facto Prime Minister under UPA wielding power of PM without responsibility. History has a queer habit of repeating itself!
[To be continued tomorrow]
e-mail: voice@starofmysore.com
This post was published on November 19, 2024 6:10 pm