With the high and the mighty, transgressing the approved and accepted framework of law, laid down rules, regulations, and, procedures, wrong signals go to the common people. And, soon enough a working democracy metamorphoses into a mobocracy. The current situation is worrisome and the chances of the country becoming a modern, nicely tuned, organised society is receding further into the uncertain future. This bodes ill for the future of the country, writes Prof H C Pande
A developed nation is basically an organised society where functions of institutions are clearly defined and the rules, regulations, the limits of the mandate etc. for the specific function have been laid out in detail with every ‘I’ dotted and every ‘T’ crossed. And on the top of it there is a government that ensures that rules are observed in toto and no one oversteps the bounds prescribed. A person is healthy when all the organs are able to perform their specific functions within the limits of tolerance. In the human body the lung does not pump blood, heart does digest food, and the intestines do not breath etc. And whenever the cells in any organ become over active, cancer takes over, with fatal results.
Democracy does not mean freedom to everyone for everything. Democratic rule means functioning within a constitution agreed to by the majority, in the group of people within a specified domain, which could be a nation, a society, a trust or whatever. Once the constitution and the procedures to enforce the rules and regulations etc. have been finally approved, the whole system has to function accordingly, with no ifs and buts. In simple words, the legislature lays down the rules & regulations, the executive takes action, and, the courts decide whether the rules & regulations framed, and, the action taken, are valid as per the letter & spirit of the constitution. This, clear basics of a successful democratic governance, for reasons best known to themselves, is being, time after time, overlooked by the three parties concerned. A serious situation has now developed where each wants to have the last word.
With the high and the mighty, transgressing the approved and accepted framework of law, laid down rules, regulations, and, procedures, wrong signals go to the common people. And, soon enough a working democracy metamorphoses into a mobocracy. The current situation is worrisome and the chances of the country becoming a modern, nicely tuned, organised society is receding further into the uncertain future. This bodes ill for the future of the country.
Graver still,is the dash to the Supreme Court,on any and every issue in the belief that here is the Solomon’ throne.The fact is that putting on a General’’s uniform does not,necessarily,make you brave or hanging an expensive Stethoscope around the neck make you a competent doctor,so also,wearing a Judge’s robe does not guarantee an infallible judgment.
The spin-off from the mad rush to the Supreme Court is that the Hon’ble Justices,already burdened with the massive backlog of cases,at times seem to be,inexplicably,stepping on someone else’s territory,subconsciously influenced by the environment of populism.
Since the politicians are concerned more about their party’s or their own survival,by any means,their gate-crashing into every field is understandable though not excusable,but that of anyone else is impermissible.This is where the political parties and the people have failed the country.Their bothering the Supreme Court,,on every politicised issue is,certainly not a sign of political maturity ,not even a sign of political opportunism but only that of supreme stupidity.
(Prof. H C Pande is Vice Chancellor Emeritus , BITS, Mesra)
