Call of Honour.

“Constitution is for a real union of the Indian people, built on the basic concept of sovereignty of the people, to ensure them Justice. That is the real spirit of the Constitution.”

- Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel

Presently, there’s quite a great movement going around against corruption embodied by Anna Hazare’s determination to provide a solution through the lokpal bill. It’s quite remarkable to see people from all walks of life amalgamated to support him through peaceful and non violent resentment against the government’s belated anti corruption actions. It is indeed pride worthy for all Indians to participate and to support his movement against corruption. Anna Hazare’s movement has popular support making it easier to carve an anti corruption revolution throughout the country, but various thoughts accompanied with erroneous dynamism might have some serious repercussions on the impression that it leaves of the constitution of India on the people’s minds.

One of the obvious impression being the despise of the constitution of the country is that it is considered long as sluggish, long winded ,another opinion going even to the farthest extent saying

” Dream, just a hollow dream. Isn’t it? Ask yourself. Are people of India ‘really united’ as one nation? Or are we seeing with the very naked eyes the abrasive reality of politics based on region & religion? Are the people ‘the real sovereigns’? Or is the power a game of money & muscle for few elites? Is common man at the receiving end of the justice? Or does the figure of one judicial proceeding behind every 25 persons of India demystify the reality that Justice is being chased, on & on for months, years, decades? A horde of question marks, in a vain pursuit of few full stops!”

Such opinions are indeed frank and just, at the first glance, but the first line introducing the issue indirectly question the constitution of India. India is sovereign and the sovereignty is exercised by the people owing to the fundamental rights provided by the constitution. The fact that behind the hardships that a common man faces are indeed revealed through such mass protests and agitations like the ones seen recently, which is appreciable but they shouldn’t be ever exercised to despise of the county’s constitution, making it an inaccurate discussion or protest. For instance, even the face of the lokpal bill Anna Hazare refrains from undermining the importance of the constitution but seeks to reform it rather than abusing it, even after having struggled to bring change for decades through peaceful protests and selfless, serene efforts

The people should today come to realize that the constitution of this country is the identity provider to the nation, amending itself continuously through parliamentary procedures to meet modern day- common man grievances. No democracy in the world can sustain and pay heed to the views of 1.21 billion people through a channelized framework. We are indeed fortunate to have an unprejudiced constitution giving people opportunity to present their opinions through peaceful means and affecting decision making process through a legal system bestowed by the constitution. For instance , a biased constitution had lead to civil war in Sri lanka due to the majoritarianism approach adopted by the constitution, in 1989 in china ,thousands were killed as troops were send to crush peaceful pro democratic protests owing to the communist government type adopted. It might be frustrating for the common man to watch a law been made, then passing through long parliamentary procedures but that’s the process one has to adopt to sustain a democratic framework. It is indeed infamous for belated decisions but those decisions are indeed successful for at least the maximum number of people the law addresses to.

Indeed there is an urgent need of amendment of several laws as they become old and inefficient corresponding to current scenarios, but that has to happen through views, thoughts, conventions etc. keeping a patient and positive mindset. The Jan lokpal bill provides a remarkable example with activists using their rights as their support and the public opinion as their aide. Our laws and rights are indeed the cement that holds the nation with honour; you can always repair them, but never entirely replace them.

~~Prasoon Mehta