Order, Order!

Order, Order!

From Left to Right Justice Kurian Joseph, Justice J. Chelameswar, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Madan Lokur.

Unless there is a chaos Judges didn’t lift there wooden hammer and say ‘Order, Order’.  Four of the five senior most judges of the Supreme Court – Justices Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur and Kurian Joseph pronounced this differently when they held press conference in the house of Justice Chelameshwar to tell the nation everything is not in order in Supreme Court. This historical incident happened on 12th January where these judges blamed Chief Justice of India Dipak Mishra for not working according to the constitution and thus making judiciary incapable in safeguarding the democracy. They indicated to a seven page letter written to the CJI few months ago non reply of which by CJI forced them to bring the issue in front of the nation. 

However politics has started over the issue by both the ruling & opposition, we must look at the matter from the point of view of the common citizen of the country. The letter talked about non progress by CJI on the issue of Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) to appoint the judges of High Courts of the country. They also wrote there dissatisfaction in the case of the mysterious death of Justice Loya. If we will not get the free & fair judgment where will we go to seek the justice? Moreover fewer judges in court will make the cases pending there for the long time. 

""The CJI is only the first among equals nothing more and nothing less."" 

 Ruling party is sidelining from the issue by describing it as the internal matter of the apex court while it’s the duty of the government to intervene by listening to both sides of the story. Congress on the other hand is trying to gain the political mileage from the issue but it is helping the BJP trolls & BJP supported media houses to pacify the issue by labeling these judges as opposition supporter. Whatever be the matter such confusion and confrontation will affect the procedure of law, judicial environment and the trust on law. 

Government if has any role in the incident should have come clean to make our belief firm that law is not partial not influenced by anybody or any organization. Hope the situation smoothens sooner. Till the next post God Bless India.  

Bhima Koregaon Violence

Bhima Koregaon Violence 

The event to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwa's army, was marred by incidents of violence on 1st January 2018, with at least one person getting killed. Dalits commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community then considered untouchable were part of the East India Company's forces. Since Peshwas were upper caste Brahmins this victory was considered by Dalits as lower caste’s victory over upper caste.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to celebration of the `British' victory, this opposition soon turned violent with stone pelting by upper caste Maratha community probably supported by some Hindutva forces (as two Hindutva associated people arrested by police) heightened the violence to an extend that affected the most parts of Maharashtra including capital city Mumbai where section 144 imposed in many places.

The event is not new and celebrated by Dalits since Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar in 1927 first visited the victory pillar erected by Britishers for one the greatest victory of East India Company in that region. The question is why the upper caste Hindutva forces objected it now and in a way which spread state wise protests & bandhs. Upper caste violence erupted earlier by Jats in Haryana, Patidars in Gujarat and now Marathas in Maharashtra. These violent protests started when voices against reservation for Dalits in jobs & education started coming from ruling party and their parent body Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh (RSS). You can observe a pattern or propaganda in all these agitations as to instigate upper caste in particular area against the lower caste by making reservation the reason for unemployment and other problems of upper caste. When in reality government has failed in his duty to ensure 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.' Government's inefficiency was not discussed when such incidents happen which become another plus point for the ruling regime.

Violent clash started from Bhim Koregaon village soon spread to the state as Dalit community demanded justice for the agitation against them. This resulted in calls of shut down of Maharashtra in the form of ‘Maharshtra Bandh’ in which protesters stopped trains & buses in many parts. Although police is ensuring smooth run in the city government’s role in not controlling the upper caste forces when the things started is under question. I know how common life is affected in such agitations as I have experienced crack down of Delhi during Jat agitation. So I hope and appeal the protesters to remain calm and don’t damage public property. Also expect government for non-bias action against the hooligans.