ANY CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION SHOULD SHOW MATURITY AND RESPONSIBILITY!

• The beauty of the Indian democratic form of governance is that all administrative nuances are directly derived from the Constitution, whose articles enunciate the rights guaranteed to citizens of this glorious nation. For the people, by the people, and of the people is the premise with which the Indian Constitution is built, with the three arms, viz., the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary, entrusted with ensuring the tenets are upheld in letter and in spirit. The judiciary is also entrusted with the responsibility of interpreting/upholding the Constitution without any prejudice, irrespective of caste, creed, and class. Further, the executive is a Constitutional position expected to serve the citizens fairly, equally, and in consonance with the law of the land.

PC: PC: Live Law

• Of course, the Indian political scenario is not only polarized extensively with the communal versus secular narrative taking centre stage, but also deeply dividing the electorate based on the labyrinthine caste equations, which is not easy to decipher. Little wonder that every political party/leader goes about further muddying the already muddied narrative with acerbic and often surcharged statements/exhortations targeting communities to whip up emotions near election time. This is where the Supreme Court should step up by suitably responding to such narrationcrossing a redline. Since one or the other election is underway in the country throughout the year, the political class is always in the news for their utterly insensitive remarks.

PC: Oneindia

• Mind you, the Election Commission is expected to announce dates for the Assam election within weeks. Thus, politics taking an uglier-than-usual turn in the state is par for the course. But Assam’s BJP unit recently posted a video on social media, which is jaw-dropping even by this broad yardstick. Headlined ‘Point blank shot’, it is an AI composite of an image of the incumbent CM pointing a rifle, and an image of two Muslim men, who are in the crosshairs. A bullet travelling between the two subjects and a ‘No Mercy’ caption are also notable. Even though the original post has been deleted, the video itself remains in wide circulation. Why was the image showing a Constitutional post-holder pointing a gun at members of one community even thought about?

PC: BarandBench

• Also, who cleared this post, at what level?  A citizens’ group has urged the Gauhati High Court to take suo motu cognizance of repeated instances of hate speech and constitutional impropriety by the incumbent CM. Meanwhile, the SC has agreed to a hearing. Some have suggested that too many elections these days are being played out, partly in the courts. It’s right. Maybe this is not the most positive trend. Yet, the Apex Court must step up as needed. Why should only the Court, even the ECI and BJP central headquarters, also make it clear to the Assam party unit that it has taken politicking beyond a redline.  A CM takes an oath to “do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will”. This tenet must be upheld with absolute devotion.