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Journalism of Courage
The most revered column of the Indian democracy looks a little stressed these days. The image of the judiciary has taken a beating after a few judges conducted themselves in manners unbecoming of their profession. The most recent case has been that of the Punjab and Haryana High Court where the judges went on a mass casual leave after two of their colleagues were questioned by the HC Chief Justice for acquiring membership of a private golf club which is caught in litigation.
Judges are professionals and have the right to protest. But since the public hold them in such high esteem, their every action is scrutinised. As the Chief Justice of India himself has pointed out, judges have to act more responsibly. Cases of corruption in the higher courts — like the one involving Delhi High Court Judge Shamit Mukherjee, who had to step down — are still rare and considered aberrations. But every small public action of the judges goes a long way in shaping the public opinion about the judiciary.
Consider the Mysore sex scandal. It may have turned out to be a damp squib but it still embarrassed so many senior members of the judiciary and generated negative public opinion. In another period, people would simply not have believed that judges could possibly be involved in such matters. But perhaps not anymore. People have seen the vulnerable face of the judiciary all too often in the recent past.
The state of our lower judiciary is well known. Corruption is not rare and the pendency levels have reached monumental proportions. The most bizarre instance of the falling standards of judiciary was the recent non-bailable warrants issued against the President and Chief Justice of India. The Supreme Court finally quashed the warrant but the action exposed the holes in the system. Moreover, there have been reports about the underworld’s influence on the judiciary. The report of the Mumbai judge who was taped talking to an underworld don is a case in point.
We always knew our judiciary — and by extension our legal system — was slow, incapable of a speedy trial and not suited for the poor. But we never did — and still don’t want to — doubt its integrity. The Chief Justice of India has promised to probe the system and set it right. The Government should go ahead on its proposal to create the Indian Judicial Service, which will help purge the lower judiciary.
Mulayam: Cong’s friend or foe?
The most amazing part of the Samajwadi Party’s game is that it put up a candidate against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli, despite enjoying the support of the Congress in Lucknow. The SP leaders used the State machinery, derogatory slogans, muscle and money power while campaigning. This forced the Congress to field a candidate from Mainpuri also.
I travelled to Rae Bareli three days before it went to polls on April 26, along with 10 editors. We were all shocked to see that the Congress was getting such a raw deal from its ally. It was obvious from the campaign that the SP bosses were pumping huge amounts of money into painting slogans on walls, party posters, vehicles, flags and other campaign material.
I would like to thank the Election Commission for thwarting the SP’s efforts to rig the polls.
Samajwadi Party leaders have many questions to answer. During the Gujarat Assembly polls, which was a crucial test for the secular forces, why did they decide to field their own candidates in what was clearly a bipolar contest, thus splitting the secular vote-bank?. Why did they take five days to issue a clarification on the Prime Minister’s statement that the BJP and SP share the same ideology? Why did the State Government go out of its way to shield Lalji Tandon and the BJP in the sari stampede? Why is the Prime Minister urging Muslims to vote for the SP and not the Congress? Why has the SP accepted a BJP leader as Speaker?
Shah Rukh’s offer to Priyanka
I fully endorse the views expressed by Shah Rukh Khan that the youth of the country should gear up to fight communalism — whatever religion it may be. He himself is a great example of secularism personified. He has been quoted as saying that he’s been a superstar for 13 years because of the love and affection from all communities, confirming his faith in the secular tenets of this country.
People, especially the youth, should take note of what SRK, more so because he is not a politician, nor does he intend to join politics. He is one of the few superstars who did not yield to the pressure of the Dubai underworld to do a film for them. Although he was constantly threatened by Abu Salem and others, he stood his ground.
Shah Rukh’s father, Mir Taj Mohammad, was a freedom fighter and a Congress leader close to Indiraji. SRK too has good relations with Priyanka and Robert Vadra. Although he does not intend to join politics, he offered to campaign and do the Chaiyaan, Chaiyaan number, if Priyanka contested the polls. But Priyanka politely conveyed to him that he should remain focused on his career and remain the Hero Number One, rather than campaigning for anyone.
