India's Constitutional Values Are In Danger, Situation Worse Than Emergency : Sr Adv Raju Ramachandran

Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran on Saturday said that, "Judges of the Supreme Court and the superior judiciary most be extra strong in resisting executive interference and in ruling against executive excesses."

"That is where the judiciary has had a very mixed record. One can pray for the sake of democracy and constitution that both judiciary and the media rise to the occasion," Mr. Ramachandran added. 

While speaking at the 'Save the Constitution' convention organized by the All India Lawyers' Union in Delhi, Mr. Ramachandran also said that, "the gradual obliteration of state and religion is dangerous to India's democracy. The open embracing of a temple by persons in authority leaves you wondering what is the state and what is the religion". 

Mr. Ramachandran further pointed out that, "India's constitutional values...are in danger." "When we were law students in the 70s", he said, "and the subversion of the Constitution was largely happening through constitutional amendments in the economic sphere, at that time Nani Palkhivala wrote that our Constitution has been defaced and defiled. But what do you do when the constitution is ignored or kept in abeyance? That is why the situation today is much more frightening than the Emergency." 

Speaking on the role of the Media in the Indian context, Mr. Ramachandran added, "Much has been said about attacks on media freedom, but the role of the media itself in undermining our constitutional values is not adequately highlighted. Fourth estate today is significantly responsible for undermining our constitutional values. If the judges don't rise to the occasion...It is our duties as lawyers, through the battles we fight in courts and through our meetings and statements outside courts, it is our duty to do our best to ensure this institution does not let the Constitution down." 

While pointing out several other threats to India's democracy, Mr. Ramachandran said, "Where a state is being ruled by a party in the opposition, Governors are being handpicked for their capacity to prevent those governments from functioning. Another threat to democracy is the practice of chief ministers being nominated by party high commanded."

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