Former Chief Justice SK Sinha lost nothing. He would have retired in January. But the Chief Justice of the country was disgraced using the government’s raw power of harassment. The image of the nation has been sullied awfully. No civilised country would take it unashamedly.
The saddest thing is that the government has succeeded in forcing out Chief Justice SK Sinha and the protector of the Constitution under pressure and in humiliating circumstances.
The obvious reason for the Chief Justice to earn ire of the government is the judgement he and all other five judges handed down declaring the constitutional provision for vesting the parliament with power to impeach the judges of the Supreme Court unconstitutional. His observations on weaknesses of the government gave the government additional fuel to get rid of him.
Firstly, the Chief Justice was restricted for some twelve days from leaving his residence for attending the court and announced that he was ill so could not meet visitors. Only the Law Minister and few other government top notches visited him. Nothing about the purpose of their visits was disclosed. The rumour had it-he was put under heavy pressure to resign. But he resisted.
Then he was allowed to leave the country. Justice Sinha availed the opportunity to deny he was ill in a written statement under his hand. He said to the pressmen that he felt humiliated. He promised he would come back.
Instead of returning, he has sent his letter of resignation. We think he has done the dignified thing. Otherwise there would have been much hot and ugly politics using his name and position. He was a political victim but he avoided political scandal to be swirling around the government and him dragging down the judiciary further.
By throwing out the Chief Justice the government has certainly made its position clear. It is all powerful and the judiciary has to remain subservient. The highest constitutional position of the Supreme Court means nothing to stop the government about its plan. The weakness of the judiciary, as revealed, has emboldened the government. That the government could use some fellow judges has emboldened the government.
Instead of returning, he has sent his letter of resignation. We think he has done the dignified thing. Otherwise there would have been much hot and ugly politics using his name and position. He was a political victim but he avoided political scandal to be swirling around the government and him dragging down the judiciary further.
By throwing out the Chief Justice the government has certainly made its position clear. It is all powerful and the judiciary has to remain subservient. The highest constitutional position of the Supreme Court means nothing to stop the government about its plan. The weakness of the judiciary, as revealed, has emboldened the government. That the government could use some fellow judges has emboldened the government.
At the moment, unless otherwise proved by the judges themselves, the independence of the judiciary is in the dust. The ultimate losers are the people. Now the belief is-there is no judiciary, strong and independent, to protect their rights.
Once again it has been proved how easy it is for any government to deny the people their hard earned democracy and how unfit we are to enjoy the fruits of freedom.
