This lawyer had lamented that he had been disappointed by several Supreme Court justices, including a prominent one from Maharashtra, usually a progressive state which always shook off the shackles of bondage. “But there were enough among the lower rungs of the judiciary who held the Constutution supreme and remained our hope throughout those months,” he said.
I have my own bone to pick with Bhushan – some years ago he teamed up with the fascist forces and for all his erudition and courage failed to see how they were leading India into the dark ages. It has taken years to recognise that these dark forces do not need an ‘official’ and ‘Constitutional’ Emergency to bend journalists or judges to their will but now, like the advocate from the Emergency days, I am beginning to think that lawyers like Bhushan – and there are many more of them battling the authorities – might become the bane of their existence and not allow all their evil designs to succed.
Bhushan's refusal to apologise and rethink his statement or move for a reconciliation or otherwise give in, quoting Mahatma Gandhi on taking his punishment cheerfully, I believe, could yet prove the first major strike towards the restoration of democratic processes and bringing its revered institutions back on an even keel.
Gandhiji's defiance of the British every step of the way confounded the authorities of that time. I am sure today's authorities have found Bhushan equally confounding. In fact, like Bhushan, we all need to return to the Mahatma Gandhi’s brand of defiance and passive resistance – and in view of this government's previous attempts to deny us basic rights, as in the Citizenship Laws, disobedience rather than contesting them in the courts.
For today that estate of democracy is as much on the side of the government as the institution was with the British during the freedom movement. We know how Gandhiji broke the salt law by cocking a snook at a British judge in Ahmedabad court, who famously forbade him from undertaking the salt march.
But we must also remember that the first strike for Independence began from Champaran in Bihar where Gandhi defied magisterial orders to visit the district and, when hauled up before the court, admitted he had broken the ban order and was admitting to it not to seek mercy or clemency but to accept whatever punishment the court deemed fit. It left the British grinding their teeth and I wonder how many people then realised that British rule in India had just been delivered a body blow and would soon come to an end.
Prashant Bhushan is no Mahatma Gandhi and only recently has collaborated with fascist forces as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru would never have done. But given the times he and others like him may well be given the benefit of the doubt for being taken in by certain elements and trusting them to give us a Ram Rajya.
Now faced with the asuras of democracy, people are slowly waking up to what they lost when they voted the UPA out of power in 2014. The Congress restored democracy after the Emergency that lasted 18 months and lost the election thereafter, allowed the judiciary its independence even when the judgments were unfair and not to their liking, did not threaten or murder independent judges, did not politicise the army, did not go against the Constitution as in the abrogation of Article 370 and did not treat any one as a second class citizen.
I do not believe anyone could have fathomed the extent of lies, crony capitalism, violence and mauling of democratic institutions this regime would go to retain power. Before and after the Emergency we may have faulted the government on various issues but never for turning India into a travesty of its full bodied and full-blooded republican ideals and moorings. The first bugle has been sounded for the restoration of democracy. We must all help fight the third war for Independence.
From streets to SC: Protests erupt acros…
04-04-2025
The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 sparked large-scale protests across India, including Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Chennai, after it cleared Parliament. Leaders of AIMIM and Congress challenged its constitutionality in the Supreme...
Read more'Dark chapter in federalism': MK Stalin …
04-04-2025
Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister MK Stalin declared the Centre's rejection of the state's Bill seeking NEET exemption a 'dark chapter in federalism.' The Bill, which aimed to base medical admissions...
Read moreIndia remains committed to people-centri…
04-04-2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim government, at the Bimstec Summit in Bangkok. Modi raised concerns over minority safety in Bangladesh and urged a...
Read moreIndia-EU FTA: 'Hopeful deal will be fina…
04-04-2025
India is optimistic about finalizing the free trade agreement with the European Union by the end of this year. Comprehensive negotiations led by Prime Minister Modi and European Commission President...
Read more
'I am not in Tamil Nadu party leadership…
04-04-2025
Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai stated on Friday that the party's leader would be chosen unanimously, and clarified that he is not a contender. This announcement follows speculation about...
Read more
'Congress demanding clarity from Centre …
04-04-2025
Congress leaders, including Shashi Tharoor and Rahul Gandhi, have demanded clarity from the Indian government regarding its strategy for addressing the recent 26 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US...
Read more'PM should come give answer in House,' s…
04-04-2025
Amid Opposition uproar, Congress MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the issue of the U.S. imposing 26% reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods in...
Read more
'Rise in incidents of Hindu temples bein…
04-04-2025
The Ministry of External Affairs has expressed serious concerns over the increasing incidents of anti-India graffiti defacing Hindu temples in the US. Diplomatic channels are actively addressing these hate crimes...
Read more
Waqf Bill sparks rift within JD(U) as fi…
04-04-2025
Not one or two but at least five leaders submitted their resignations as the bill was passed, first in Lok Sabha and then the Rajya Sabha on Thursday and Friday...
Read more
Congress launches Manmohan Singh fellows…
04-04-2025
The Congress launched a fellowship program named after former PM Manmohan Singh, selecting 50 mid-career professionals annually for mentorship by senior party leaders. This full-time commitment focuses on building a...
Read more'Extremely unfortunate': LS Speaker Om B…
04-04-2025
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla criticised Sonia Gandhi's comments on the Waqf Amendment Bill, calling them "unfortunate" and undermining parliamentary democracy. Despite extensive discussions and proper procedures, Birla noted her...
Read more
