Hyderabad: During Emergency also Habeas Corpus petitions used to be heard within 24 hours but it is not being done so these days. The media is also avoiding to raise this question. It is not a democracy, it is a dictatorship which has no place in cultural society. Silence on such issues is regrettable.
These thoughts were expressed by noted Supreme Court Lawyer and Social Activist, Ms. Menaka Guru Swamy. She was addressing a gathering of Manthan Samwad on ‘My Constitution’s Country’ organized in Hyderabad.
Referring to the Kashmir issue, she said that if we are living in democratic India, why are we silent on the Kashmir issue?
It may be mentioned that Ms. Guru Swamy is noted for her frankness. She further told that the framers of the constitution had formulated it keeping in view such incidents so that India should not be confined to any sect or religion.
During her address, she cited examples from Gujarat and other States wherein, atrocities were meted out to the Muslims in the name of religion.
She compared the present situation of India with the situation that prevailed in 1949 and said that nobody is raising any question about the violation of fundamental rights.
She quoted that the Constitution of India has retained four important values such as equality, fraternity, dignity and refrain from hatred.
Ms. Guru Swamy also told that the Constitution of India extended its benefits even to the persons who are living below the poverty line. The privileges of freedom are shrinking around a narrow-minded philosophy which is a great danger for the country.