Let's respect rule of law

There’s been gradual increase in tragedies ending up in public lynchings, violent demonstrations and agitations against the malaise in governance.

However, there’s little real concern shown by the governments either at the Centre or in the states.

Way back in the ’80s this scribe had a chance contact with the then prime minister Indira Gandhi, who had been in the thick of a controversy over the allegations of corruption against some of her cabinet colleagues and other party leaders. Asked about the grave charges of scams, she shot back as a matter of fact, “Corruption is a global phenomenon.”

There’s been no looking back since then and all the political parties seem to have unanimity on what she thought was an effect of globalisation.

It’s evident that the unabated brutality unleashed by corruption along with the apathy of the government has reduced the state to a slate of claw. The cherished ‘rule of law’ has been reduced to  a mere rhetoric. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the victims of arbitrariness have been made to believe that this mantra is the guiding force for navigating their destinies.

There’s been a demand for more laws and amendment to many more archaic regulations. But what the present governments can do is to put in place an accessible mechanism to ensure implementation of laws to the satisfaction of aggrieved citizens. Ironically, even some justice dispensation bodies invariably forget that by one stroke of their pen, the poor justice seekers get utter shock of their lives.

It has been argued at different levels of governance that a delay in dispensation of justice and delivery of deficient relief does more harm to the rule of law than no justice at all. In a situation where justice is meant for the rich alone, poor law-abiding citizens could derive satisfaction in reluctantly accepting that perhaps they’ve got what was destined for them in law. But when people are assured by the Constitution that there shall be equality for all, the injustice becomes somewhat a state-backed brutality.

Under the prevailing scenario, it wouldn’t be asking for a moon to enact regulations that make it mandatory for the government, all the organs of the state, including judiciary, and instrumentalities to respond to people’s outcry against the blasphemous decisions.

A successful parliamentary democracy can offer an adorable form of rule if all its constituents are infused with self confidence.