CJI Ranjan Gogoi asking Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter why she wants to move around in J&K when it is very cold is not just factually inaccurate but also gratuitous. The Supreme Court hasn’t taken Kashmir habeas corpus petitions with the alacrity they deserve. Such needless questions only further sully its reputation.
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If the apex court can – in effect – run Indian cricket, it it may be pleased to issue instructions on at least the limited point of preparing an emergency executive plan for timely transport of the Valley’s output of fruit. Its farmers stand to lose a year’s income, just as people associated with the tourism sector have.
The precautionary restrictions and the detention of possible instigators has ensured that there is no street violence. Let them all loose and the violence is bound to start full scale with the help from across the border, can the activists and the politicians guarantee that it will not happen. Is encouraging the street violence a part of the democracy ? Can anyone including the SC be oblivious resulting events ? Has the judiciary got discretionary powers just to be exercised is such situations ? As of now the issue of 370 & 35A is done for the time being ,the SC will look into it in it’s wisdom now it’s up to the SC, so let us have faith a wait for the outcome . There are no concentration camps, rapes and killings to raise the alarm.
Questions accumulate against the Supreme Court. One wonders how one should interpret the public crisis that affected the institution during the past year? Clouds seem to accumulate above the institution responsible for compliance with the Constitution and in particular fundamental freedoms.
In a very balanced edit, HT has urged that the over month long restrictions be eased, mainstream politicians released, a political dialogue initiated. The US State Department has said more or less the same thing. Shopkeepers are refusing to stay open for normal businesd hours. Unclear what voting percentages will be like when the Assembly elections are held. The security aspect has been meticulously planned and executed, largely avoiding loss of life. Now the political component of this far reaching exercise will have to be unveiled. Beyond the pay grade of the newly elected Panchas, many too fearful to stay in their homes. It is this evolving situation the apex court might keep in mind while shaping its intervention.
A month has passed. The lives of eight million citizens are in deep freeze. Issues of life, liberty, livelihood are involved. By the grace of God, so far the loss of life has been minimised. But that begs the question, Why are we so fearful of loss of life if these are normal constitutional changes which are intended solely for the well being and prosperity of Kashmiris ? To answer the Court’s anxious weather related query, greater Cold lies ahead. A deep, long winter.