[Continued from yesterday]
Those who voted for Modi in 2014, 2019 and 2024 expect him to set the House of Bharat Mata in order. There is so much of muck and mire left behind in the house by the earlier tenants. Luckily for Modi he has got a skilled house-keeper in Amit Shah, Home Minister.
Thank God, the non-secular, discriminatory and Constitutionally temporary Article 370 and 35A, to which Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was allergic, were annulled. But Kashmir is only a part of many problems facing the majority Hindu population of the country.
These days we see politicians who are in trouble mobilising party workers and their supporters violating the law of the land and intimidating the Courts like during Indira Gandhi’s period. Today in Karnataka, we see the same trend in the cases of Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scams. Congress leaders, who address public meetings holding a copy of our Constitution, swearing to protect it from the imaginary antagonists (say BJP), should introspect.
There is much to be done to reclaim the lost properties, dignity, self-esteem and the cultural, civilisational heritage by the Modi government. But the post-independence governments were unable to undo the 1,100 years of historical wrongs and wounds inflicted on Hindu India. Which is why, “We the People” find our Justice System, modelled after our past rulers, breaking down, if it has not already broken down.
A couple of days back, a reader of Star of Mysore had given a most dismal picture of our Judiciary with facts and figures. He had reasoned the causes for inordinate delay in the Justice delivery system and what it costs to the nation in terms of money and loss of faith in our political system.
If the Judiciary is the custodian of our Constitution, which in turn is the Foundation of our Democracy, then we must ensure the Foundation is not destabilised. Otherwise in times to come, the House of Democracy will collapse like it happened in 1975 Emergency.
In 2024, early this year, the Law Minister informed the Lok Sabha that there are only 21 Judges per 10 lakh population as against 50 Judges recommended by the Law Commission. Add to this shortfall, the vacant posts not being filled. As per NITI Aayog (formerly Planning Commission), it will take 324 years to clear the backlog. More than Rs. 10 lakh crore is held up in tax disputes alone!
One gets the feeling that no political party is serious in bringing reformation in the Judicial System because the present status quo is serving their purpose politically.
However, higher Judiciary is not here merely to deal with cases relating to Constitutional issues but also cases that touch a citizen’s day-to-day life and rights. At present, the Constitution-related cases get urgent hearings in all Courts, most of them filed by the politicians. But, what about the common man and his plea for justice without delay?
Therefore, the Modi government must address the problems arising out of our broken down judicial system and tottering other Constitutional Institutions and Authorities. Modi must break the old mould of his political party, BJP and work only to put the house of Bharat Mata in order and make it safe for all the citizens without discrimination. He will then be BJP’s new Avatar. Like Garibaldi of Italy, Atatürk of Turkey (Turkiye) and Bismarck of Germany. They unified their respective countries fragmented with many kingdoms.
In India that unification has already been done under the daunting leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. But now, Modi must bring in Judicial, Land and Administrative Reforms and Legislate Laws for a New independent India as per Sanatana Dharma, eternal law of justice to all. And to make this possible, Modi may further amend the Preamble of our Constitution, following the example of Indira Gandhi, with the motto:
“Justice for all, appeasement for NONe.” This should be the idea of a New India.
Therefore, before Modi’s term ends in 2029, he must prove that for our country’s problems his government is not the problem, as former US President Ronald Reagan said, but it is the solution. Modi’s government should be a solver of problems of all those who are suffering injustice and discrimination even after 76 years of independence. A random list of problems is given separately.
Some farmers are asking whether the Waqf Board is the government to get their land records or the Government of India? Narendra Modi as Prime Minister must answer them.
A random checklist of problems for Prime Minister Modi to solve
1. Get back the black money stacked away in Foreign Banks.
2. Get back those fugitive criminals hiding in foreign countries.
3. Deal firmly with illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan.
4. Free Hindu temples from the shackles of Government of India and State Governments.
5. If Central Government has powers, deal with the current controversial happenings in Waqf Board without delay. Act now, tomorrow it may be too late.
6. Abrogate The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act 1991 or amend it to enable Hindus to get justice without harming the minority sentiments.
7. Bring in the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as contemplated in Directive Principles of our Constitution. If there is uniform criminal law, why not a uniform civil law?
8. Implement Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019.
9. Review or Re-enact the present Anti-Defection Law which is misused and has become as good as dead. Look at the evil of ‘Operation Kamala’ and ‘Ghar Wapsi’ and restore dignity and pride of an elected representative for ensuring a stable government for its full term.
10. Review the division of Centre-State powers and give a look into the Concurrent List provided in the Constitution to make States to exercise restraint in dealing with the powers of the Centre.
11. Define with clarity what amounts to electoral malpractice. Indira Gandhi suffered, in retrospect, for the same reason to some extent and was unseated by the Allahabad High Court.
12. There may be more, but this one is a must before Modi leaves the political arena — One Nation, One Election.
e-mail: voice@starofmysore.com
This post was published on November 20, 2024 6:05 pm