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.
'If you wanted caste-based census so bad…
01-05-2025
Union Minister Chirag Paswan criticized the Congress party for allegedly using the caste census as a political tool to incite public sentiment, questioning their commitment since they didn't implement it...
Read more'Iss baar ghar mein ghus kar baith jana…
01-05-2025
Asaduddin Owaisi urged the BJP government to move beyond rhetoric and take decisive action against Pakistan by focusing on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He reminded the government of the Parliament's resolution...
Read moreOne more arrested in Jharkhand for links…
01-05-2025
The Jharkhand ATS arrested Ammar Yashar in Dhanbad for alleged links to the banned terror group Hizb ut-Tahrir. Previously jailed for ties to Indian Mujahideen, Yashar was released on bail...
Read more'Warships on high alert': Navy intensifi…
01-05-2025
Amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian Navy has significantly increased its presence in the Arabian Sea. Naval warships are on high alert, conducting anti-ship and anti-aircraft...
Read more'Against reservation since birth': Kharg…
01-05-2025
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed the Centre's decision to include caste enumeration in the national census, while criticizing the BJP and RSS for their historical opposition to reservation. He accused...
Read moreElection Commission rolls out reforms to…
01-05-2025
The Election Commission of India is enhancing the electoral process through three major initiatives. These include electronic acquisition of death registration data for prompt deletion of deceased voters, a redesigned...
Read more'Request PM to honour sentiments': Rahul…
01-05-2025
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant martyr status to the 26 victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, following a request from the family of...
Read moreCaste census: Allocate sufficient funds…
01-05-2025
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed the Centre’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census, urging timely execution with adequate funding. He emphasized Congress's consistent support for caste census...
Read moreINS Kochi arrives at Male, hands over co…
01-05-2025
INS Kochi, a frontline Indian Navy destroyer, arrived in Malé alongside MNDF’s CGS Huravee, which underwent refit in Mumbai. The visit reinforces India-Maldives maritime ties and regional security cooperation. Diplomatic...
Read moreYou want to demoralise forces? SC raps p…
01-05-2025
The Supreme Court dismissed petitions requesting a judicial investigation, overseen by a retired SC judge, into the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that resulted in 26 fatalities...
Read more'He lives in his own world': Delhi HC pu…
01-05-2025
The Delhi High Court has found Yoga guru Ramdev in prima facie contempt for violating a previous order regarding his "sharbat jihad" remarks against Hamdard's Rooh Afza. Justice Amit Bansal...
Read more
Watch: Congress workers pour milk on Rah…
01-05-2025
Congress workers in Hyderabad celebrated the Centre's decision to conduct a caste census by pouring milk on posters of Rahul Gandhi and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy.
Read moreCaste census: BJP counters Congress' ‘sa…
01-05-2025
The BJP has criticized the Congress party regarding the inclusion of caste-based enumeration in the upcoming census, questioning their historical inaction. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused former PM Nehru of...
Read moreOn Labour Day, Mallikarjun Kharge highli…
30-04-2025
On International Labour Day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge greeted workers and raised concerns about their struggles under the current government. He criticized the reduction in MNREGA funding, opposed the Labour...
Read moreCentre's caste census nod sparks credit …
30-04-2025
The Indian government's decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census has ignited political debate, with the BJP and opposition Congress both vying for credit. While Congress claims it...
Read moreMorning news wrap: Pakistan continues to…
30-04-2025
Tensions escalate as Pakistani forces violate ceasefire along the LoC for the seventh consecutive night, prompting a proportionate response from the Indian Army. Amidst this, the US attempts to de-escalate...
Read more
'Perpetrators, backers must be brought t…
30-04-2025
External affairs minister Jaishankar discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasising the need for justice against those responsible. Rubio conveyed condolences and reaffirmed US...
Read more
