London-based Indian journalist Ashis Ray addressed an open letter to the judges of the Supreme Court of India on the Prashant Bhushan issue.
The full text of the letter can be read here:
“Dear Honourable Justices,
I don’t know how many there are like me among India’s 1.35 billion plus citizens, for I was born in Vienna, have lived two-thirds of my life in London, but have always been an Indian national.
It perhaps reflects my humble commitment and loyalty to India. It does not matter that India hasn’t recognised this, since my dedication to my country is not for any kudos.
However, it does concern me when India strays from its prescribed path. I was distraught when Charan Singh was sworn in as prime minister and never proved his majority in parliament. And I was very worried when Narendra Modi was elected. Indeed, my worst fears in this respect have come true.
The highest number of new COVID19 cases per day in the world is being recorded in India. Goodness knows where the death toll will reach. An unscientific response is responsible for this.
At least 120 million in the informal sector and 20 million in organised industries are unemployed. If such people are the main breadwinners in their families, then 700 million Indians are in serious distress. This catastrophe is caused by the Indian economy being progressively in decline for the greater part of the last six years, despite tailwinds, and no stimulus worth its salt is being offered. India is bankrupt. Its sovereign rating is just above junk.
All credible reports point to Chinese troops still occupying parts of Indian territory in Ladakh. This indicates a gross failure of our foreign policy in the past six years, which has even ruined India’s historical special relationship with Nepal, let alone ties with others. India is almost without a dependable ally among its neighbours. Its biggest defence supplier and traditional friend-in-need Russia is sitting on the fence.
Kashmiris in Kashmir are Indian citizens. Yet, the worst human rights abuse has been heaped on them by the Indian state. The devastation to its economy is incalculable. Alienation in the Valley is unprecedented.
In all of the above the Supreme Court of India has bafflingly either been silent or not deemed it urgent enough to take up the matter and pronounce judgement.
On the prima facie instance of violation of the Prevention of Corruption Act in the dumping of the previous deal to purchase Rafale aircraft from France and its replacement by a new one, the Supreme Court provided a clean chit.
At the same time, you have taken umbrage at advocate Prashant Bhushan’s tweets as if the heavens would fall if you didn’t. Is his anguish not legitimate given the prevailing state of affairs?
Sometimes the most vicious and vile reactions arise in respect of the conduct of the Supreme Court in the United Kingdom, including offensive headlines in the tabloid press. Judges have even been described as being anti-British. Not once, though, has the court bothered to lend importance to such tripe.
Decent, right-thinking, well-meaning Indians have looked up to the Supreme Court as a benevolent arbiter. When all else fails, the Supreme Court will rescue us, is the refrain.
What are such people thinking today? Few worse calamities can befall India than Indians losing confidence in the Supreme Court.
Therefore, I appeal to your conscience. I am older than all of you. Please listen to me. I speak from having been fortunate enough to encounter rich and rewarding experiences in life.
India is paramount. I plead before you not to let India down.
I hope you will excuse this intervention.
Faithfully,
Ashis Ray
London
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