Indians first

The Indian judiciary, especially in the higher reaches,  has always shown its deep commitment to the Constitution, in letter and spirit, something that the political class and the executive have not managed to do.

Time and again when other pillars of the Indian state have faltered, the judiciary
has stepped in to remind us what  the true course is. And in these  troubled times, when inimical forces within try and tear the social fabric asunder, the judiciary’s voice, from the heart as much as from the head, is sorely needed.

In this category of sensible and  robust advice falls the speech delivered on Tuesday by the Chief Justice of India(CJI), KG Balakrishnan. Reminding us that India is one country and all Indians are one, the CJI has held out a  warning of the dangers of indulging in divisive politics for narrow, local gains. The nation has to stand as one or it does not stand at all.

The CJI said, “Such a regressive brand of political action is threatening to undo the very foundations on which our constitutional order has been built, namely those of
respect for rule of law, equal treatment before the law and due process.”

Strong words and also deeply significant. India cannot be a great nation — regardless of its GDP growth or the number of mobile phones in use — if it cannot comprehend the sanctity  of its Constitution. We became a republic when we adopted the Constitution — that gives us our primary identity in the comity of nations.

Such a message is aimed at all those forces who have tried to use narrow parochial tactics to gain short term advantage. In Maharashtra we have seen this in recent times in full force.

The agitation against north Indians in Maharashtra has let loose a most dangerous demon of all — regional factionalism. This was nothing if not an attempt to divide citizens on the basis of their regional and linguistic origin.

Raj Thackeray is of course not the first or only politician to make political hay out of the “sons of the soil platform”. This has been the tried and tested formula for years and the pity is that it often generates electoral gains.

The Supreme Court often has to act as the conscience of the nation. Yet it is something of a matter of shame that the chief justice has to remind us that we are all Indians. Surely, that should be the first identity that we accept and live by.

Instead, we have allowed ourselves to be divided on every possible fault line by rabblerousing politicians who play upon our weaknesses and insecurities for electoral gains. It may behoove us all to take heed of the CJI’s wise words and understand the devastation that will follow if we don’t.