If a government disagrees with a court decision, is impeachment its solution? There is an alternative to a larger bench against a single bench. The path to the Supreme Court was also open. Instead of this, the attempt to directly bring the impeachment motion seems to indicate that the Tamil Nadu government wants to create such an environment in which the courts will give decisions as per its wish. This is an attempt to put pressure on the judiciary. This effort may prove costly for DMK and its allies.
DMK's mobilization against Justice Swaminathan
Impeachment notice expands coalition politics
DMK at the center of minority politics
Umesh Chaturvedi. The way DMK and its allies rallied against Madras High Court judge Justice GR Swaminathan, who ordered the establishment of the Karthigai Deepam tradition in Tamil Nadu, indicates that the constituents of this alliance are not ready to learn any lesson from the results in Bihar. The giving of impeachment notice against Swaminathan by 120 INDIA MPs led by DMK MP Kanimozhi is an extension of the traditional politics of the alliance. The alliance is unable to digest that a judge has given a decision to establish the majority Sanatani tradition.
Approved the establishment of the tradition of Karthigai Deepam on the hill top of Tiruparankundram in Madurai district, which was discontinued following a controversy in the 1920s. The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government did not allow Swaminathan's decision to be implemented fearing controversy. Interestingly, the minority community did not even oppose it, rather the government itself instigated the controversy.
The state government also appealed to the Supreme Court against Swaminathan's decision, but it also felt that if it did not teach the judge a lesson, there could be a crack in its politics based on secularism. The most surprising step in DMK's move to teach the judge a lesson and curb the judiciary is the active participation of other constituents of the opposition alliance. The presence of Congress leaders and Akhilesh Yadav along with Kanimozhi while presenting the impeachment motion to the Lok Sabha Speaker is a deep indication. The opposition parties are trying to signal to the minority community that only INDIA can target a judge for its interests. The opposition alliance is trying to woo the state's nearly six percent minority population for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections to be held in a few months. Since the mantra of minorityism has been at the center of DMK's politics, it had no hesitation in stopping the tradition of Karthigai Deepam.
Before discussing this entire issue, it is important to know what is Karthigai Deepam festival? Karthigai Deepam, known as the Festival of Lights of the South, is a tradition of lighting lamps in the Tamil month of Sri Lanka in honor of Lord Murugan. It is believed that Lord Shiva himself appeared in the form of eternal fire to resolve the dispute between Brahma and Vishnu. In memory of the same pillar, a Maha Deepak is lit near the ancient pillar called Deepathun near the Uchipillayar temple. This tradition also continued on the hill of Tiruparankundram, but later a dargah was established there near the temple.
After the Dargah, it was necessary to promote secularism, hence the authorities stopped the tradition of Deepam. Court intervention was demanded to start this. The case was first heard in the Madurai District Court and later heard in the Madras High Court, during which Justice GR Swaminathan ordered to start the tradition of lighting lamps on the hill. After this, devotees started gathering on the hill on December 3, but the police stopped them. This move of DMK government gave a big issue to BJP. She is asking what mistake have the Hindus of the state committed that they had to approach the court for the right to light the lamp and even after getting a favorable order from there, it was not allowed to be followed?
DMK's predecessor Justice Party was founded in 1916. It was established to oppose Brahminism. Over time, his anti-Brahminism politics increasingly focused on anti-Brahminism. Later, Hindi and the entire Sanatan tradition came under the ambit of its opposition. This is the reason why the Stalin clan never refrains from harshly criticizing Hindutva. The Aharnish Hindi protest and now the Karthigai Deepam protest are an extension of this tradition.
These days the opposition alliance is very concerned about saving the Constitution. In the eyes of the opposition coalition that raises the voice of 'the Constitution is in danger', justice is only what is according to their narrative, otherwise it is an opposition to secularism. These parties have still not been able to wholeheartedly accept the Supreme Court's decision on Ram Temple. In this sequence, now Swaminathan is also being targeted. This has once again exposed the face of the opposition alliance's pro-minority political strategy.
If a government disagrees with a court decision, is impeachment its solution? There is an alternative to a larger bench against a single bench. The path to the Supreme Court was also open. Instead of this, the attempt to directly bring the impeachment motion seems to indicate that the Tamil Nadu government wants to create such an environment in which the courts will give decisions as per its wish. This is an attempt to put pressure on the judiciary. This effort may prove costly for DMK and its allies.
(The author is a senior journalist and political commentator)
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