Access to judiciary weaponized: Dhankhar

New Delhi, Jan 22: Vice-President, Jagdeep Dhankhar Wednesday said that the access to judiciary has been weaponised in recent years and it is posing a great challenge to our governance.
Interacting with a batch of participants from Indian Institute of Democratic Leadership (IIDL) at Vice-President’s enclave, Dhankhar said that, “ We have a fundamental right in the country, and the right is we can access judiciary. It’s a fundamental right. But in last few decades, access to judiciary has been weaponised! It has been weaponised, to another level, it is posing a great challenge to our governance, our democratic values”.
Expressing his concern over the current situation he stated, “ Day in and day out, you’ll find advisories emanating, executive functions being performed by bodies that have no jurisdiction or jurisprudential authority or competence to perform those actions. To put it in layman’s language, a tehsildar can never record an FIR. How so very strongly he may feel. Because our constitution ordains institutions have to work within their own domain. Are they working? I’ll answer for you, no”.
“Institutions are yielding ground to other institutions, and that is being done out of expediency. These placatory mechanisms may result in short-term gain, but they cause incalculable spinal damage in the long run. And therefore I urge you, you have to think. Once you think, connect with the people. Make them aware no nation is as rich in human resource as Bharat. But we have to audit ourselves. We can’t rest on laurels that are surficial”, he further added.
Posing a question to the participants about the provision of Whip in Parliament, the Vice-President said, “ Why should there be whip? Whip means you are curtailing expression, you are curtailing freedom, you are subjecting your representative to servility. You don’t allow such a person to use his or her mind. Examine whether the US has whip or not, find out in the last ten years how decisions of the Senate have been influenced by persuasion. But when you issue a whip, there is no persuasion. To persuade whom?…….Political parties are supposed to promote democracy, but do the elected representatives have the freedom of expression? Whip comes in the way”.
Reflecting on the disruptions in Parliament, Dhankhar said, “ “Once a temple of democracy, it has now become a wrestling ground, a battleground. Is there anything left to see ?, anything left to hear? People have forgotten the word ‘decorum,’ and there is no concept of dignity anymore.”
“Chaos, disruption, disturbance and the kind, is remote controlled in the house. They step in the temple with firm determination to carry out a command that this day is a day of dysfunction in the parliament or legislature. Examine it!”, he added.
Exhorting the young minds to hold the public representatives accountable, Dhankhar emphasised, “ You are a great powerful pressure group. Social media has given you potency. You are in a position to engage into audit of parliament institutions, their functioning, performance of parliamentarians. You can show the mirror to those who rather than engage in discharge of their solemn constitutional obligations are engaging in standards that no parent would want her child, or his child to see. That scenario has to change”.
Talking about the need for talented people in politics, the Vice-President emphasised, “ We need trained people in policy making. We need trained people who know politics. It is not easy to hold government accountable. The only way to hold government accountable is through the platform of legislature. And mind you, when you hold government accountable, you are helping the government. Anyone would like to improve, but someone has to tell him or her that these are the areas of concern where you need improvement”.
Stressing on the significance of expression and dialogue, Dhankhar stated, “We take pride, we are mother of democracy. We are all this democracy, but are we justifying that claim? If I look around…. I’m a worried man. The political climate in the country is alarmingly worrisome. Political parties have no meaningful dialogue amongst themselves. They do not deliberate on issues of Nationalism, Security or Development. You will find confrontational stance solidifying. Disturbance has been weaponized as a political strategy, and look at the kind of language used from all quarters–right, left and centre that not only belittles Indian mind, but tarnishes the fair name of our civilization.”
“I am concerned as Vice-President of the country that the expression and dialogue, these twins, fundamental to blossoming of any democratic value, are fast receding in background. People are judgmental. They have a view. I am alone right, all others are wrong, without listening to the other point of view”, he added.
Calling upon everyone to hold those damaging public property accountable, Dhankhar said, “ Destruction of public property, stone pelting on trains, setting fire to government buildings. Where are we heading? Society has to rise in unison to name and shame these people. The system has to work in a manner to hold them accountable and penalise them fiscally also”.
Highlighting his concern for violation of law and orchestration of public disorder, Dhankhar stated “Why should we take kindly to disturbance of public order? Someone gets a notice from a lawful authority. He or she happens to be a politician. People take to the streets. It is savagery. It is violation of law. It is disrespect of democratic norms. And high and mighty are doing it. Can this be allowed? Public order has to define democracy. But when there is public disorder orchestrated for political gains…or to raise the might of an individual, that yes, he can bring about stoppage of traffic, paralyzing daily life by ravaging public order. We don’t react.”