The stage is set, and if things go the way we are anticipating, there will be a floor test on 29 this month. The Uttarakhand High Court has passed its verdict and rolled back the president’s rule imposed by the centre in Uttarakhand. The resurrection of Harish Rawat as the ‘outsider CM’ until the floor test has given the opposition and constant critic of Modi, Kejriwal an opportunity to attack the centre once again. Take a look at the ‘praise words’ by Sri Arvind first, then I will have my humble say.
https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal/status/723134445629386753
https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal/status/723086137997332480
I was always thinking that something strange is about to happen in Uttarakhand. And lo! here it comes. High Court has ‘ridiculed’ the imposition of Article 356 in the state by the Modi-led government. Amid the allegations of Harish Rawat being a CM of the ‘minority MLAs’, the centre had dismissed the Uttarakhand government by the special rights secured the government as in Article 356. Rawat challenged it in the High Court, situated in Nainital. Today the verdict came in his favour and the entire Congress party is in a joyous mood. I was watching on a news channel and it was really ridiculous that a leader from the party thanked Sonia and Rahul first and then the court!
Observe the words of the bench of high court, headed by the chief justice K M Joseph:
“What do we do on their apprehension? Don’t think that we are powerless that we cannot pass an order. We cannot remain silent.”
I have also come across their words like ‘president is not the king’ and ‘even president can make mistakes’. The question arises – is it just the tip of the iceberg? Is something real tough going inside? Is there a situation of a clash between the centre and other independent institutions?
The question becomes even more valid in the wake of ‘use’, ‘misuse’ and ‘abuse’ of the agencies by the governments. Recent expose on the samjhauta blast and Ishrat Jahan case has put the former Manmohan-led UPA government in the scrutiny. This time, Modi has to answer the call. Now, will the central government approach the supreme court to appeal? Anticipating this step of the BJP, Harish Rawat has already filed a caveat in the Supreme Court.
Nevertheless, the ruling of Uttarakhand High Court is also not free of criticism. They have kept the dismissal of 9 rebel Congress MLAs by saying that those MLAs have committed a ‘constitutional sin’. However, we all know that dubious was the circumstance when the speaker of the assembly dismissed those ‘constitutionally elected’ MLAs. There are many questions and we will have to wait for the answers. Let us see whether 29th is date or SC will have to jump in…
