State must remember its obligations and duties to Constitution https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/indian-government-judiciary-constitution-7516254/ Dushyant Dave | September 19, 2021
Dushyant Dave writes: A pattern of the government using law to target critics and minorities grows clearer by the day. Judiciary must intervene.
A pattern emerging over the last seven years shows that only a section of citizens is being acted against by the state. They belong to the Opposition, the minority community, activists, dissenters and the likes. It is not being suggested that they should be spared if they have violated the laws.
But the pattern reveals that the state is merely interested in targeting them without credible evidence and giving wide publicity to its actions, unconcerned with ultimate results. Over the years, a large number of such persons have been found to be innocent by the competent courts. But at what cost? These innocent citizens have spent long periods in prison, have suffered mentally, socially, economically and their dignities have been taken away.
The state is unstoppable. Because the courts, which are enjoined by the Constitution to ensure compliance of the rule of law, are not acting as authoritatively as the Constitution mandates. Or are acting too slow or too late. As a result, a “fear psychosis” is allowed to prevail in the country to prevent citizens from raising their voices and standing up against illegal, arbitrary and unjust laws or actions or inactions by the government of the day. The few who do muster courage to stand up and speak, the state preys on them. The judiciary must intervene with strong and far-reaching judgments to stop this trend.