RSS journal cites GST, Shah Bano to make its case

On 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 the 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 the 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 marginalised communities were always used as tools for political gains Parliam-entary sovereignty and judicial supremacy are two other tenets of our Constitution.”

“But what happened in the Shah Bano 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 ”