On Republic Day, RSS journal rakes up Shah Bano case, GST

New Delhi, Jan 25: On the Republic Day, pro-RSS publication 'Panchjanya' has raked up the controversial Shah Bano case and the GST issue to argue that the country has witnessed several occurrences which show the aspirations of Constitution makers have often been undermined.

Citing the all-important "Objectives Resolution", which the Constituent Assembly had adopted in 1947, the editorial in Panchjanya says, "The Objectives Resolution formed the basis of the Indian Constitution.

However, some occurrences clearly tell us that aspirations of our Constitution makers about the Constitution remaining true to the Objectives Resolution have not been met and have in fact been undermined."

In justification, the editorial cites the controversial Shah Bano case to say, "The Objectives Resolution clearly spoke of adequate security for the minorities, backwards and the tribals. We heard much rhetoric around these issues but is it not true that these marginalized communities were always used as tools for political gains? Parliamentary sovereignty and judicial supremacy are two other tenets of our Constitution."

"But what happened in the Shahbano case? People who indulge in vote bank and appeasement politics watched silently when a 62 year old Muslim mother of five, divorced by her husband, moved court for compensation. Had our Constitution makers ever wanted political majority to be used as a tool for appeasement and a tool for overturning the verdict of the Apex Court?," it asked.

The article cites the objective of Constitution makers in allowing lawmakers the flexibility to amend the Constitution and questions the continued stalling of the Goods and Services Tax Bill by the opposition.

"Constitution makers in Article 369 dealt with the division of subjects for amendments. Their objective at that time was certainly to give lawmakers some flexibility. But what happened to the GST Bill? Are people who have lost the mandate to govern not using technicalities to derail an important tax reform legislation?," it asked.

It also questioned ultra-leftists and Maoists for putting weapons in the hands of poor tribals.

"Ultra-leftists describe poor tribals whom they have handed over weapons as revolutionaries. But the tribals, deprived of their basic rights, don’t even know the initials of the word revolution. They have been exploited for ideological ends," an editorial in Panchjanya said.

PTI