NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court of India issued a strong statement on Wednesday about how strong the country’s democratic and constitutional structure is. This was in stark contrast to the political unrest in neighboring Nepal and Bangladesh.
During a hearing on a presidential reference case, Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai said, “We are proud of our Constitution.” Look at what’s going on in nearby states, like what happened in Nepal yesterday… “And Bangladesh,” said Justice Vikram Nath, according to India Today.
President Droupadi Murmu sent the case to the bench, which included Chief Justice Gavai and Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, P.S. Narasimha, and Atul S. Chandurkar. The referral, which was made on May 13 under Article 143 of the Constitution, asked for more information about the Court’s April decision about how long governors have to act on bills that state legislatures have passed.
The judges’ comments stressed India’s long-lasting democracy. The bench noted that the country has been “continuing with the Constitution and democracy for 75 years,” and that the system has stayed stable even when there have been political problems, like governors refusing to sign bills.
The Political Unrest in Nepal
The Court’s comments came after a new round of violent protests in Nepal that turned fatal. At least 19 individuals died on Monday when protesters and security forces fought. The government’s ban on some social media sites was what started the protests. But the campaign, which was mostly made up of young people, swiftly turned into a full-blown call for Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to step down.
On Tuesday, things got out of hand, and protesters set fire to many official and private facilities, such as the Parliament House, the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister’s house, and the President’s office. The violence caused terrible personal losses, such as the death of former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal’s wife from burn injuries after their house was set on fire. Also, a mob broke into the home of Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, the wife of four-time Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, and attacked her. The Nepalese army was called in on Tuesday at 10 p.m. to take control of the security situation because things were getting worse.
The “July Revolution” in Bangladesh
The Supreme Court’s mention of Bangladesh brings back memories of a similar time of student-led turmoil last year. These protests started out as a call to bring back a quota system for government positions, but they swiftly turned into a movement against the administration across the country. People were very angry over high unemployment, economic problems, and claims of corruption, which led to the “July Revolution.” As a result of the protests, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down, and an interim government is now in charge of the country.
The Indian Supreme Court’s comments highlight how India’s constitutional democracy has been able to keep stability and institutional integrity, something that its neighbors have had trouble doing in recent years.