The Brave Pedestrian

Our nation is in the midst of judiciary's summer vacation -- an entire organ of State closed for five to seven weeks (except for a tiny number of vacation-judges -- a loincloth-like shred of judiciary). Because of these summer vacations, courts give long dates to undertrials -- even those who are being held in judicial custody. Dates are not always given given immediately after summer vacations, so the delay is not only of a few weeks. With lakhs of people being held in judicial custody without a trial for months and even years, doesn't this make our judiciary the biggest human-rights violator in India and abroad? Think about the needless suffering that common people and their families undergo, while our judges and lawyers insist on their right to take it easy. Judges don't think it is a big deal to hold an accused in prison for a few extra weeks or months. For them, it is just business-as-usual!  http://tinyurl.com/Courts-Summer-Vacation Regards, ...

Blindly obeying any policeman takes us one step closer towards a "Police State", and one step farther from a healthy democracy. Therefore, our FUNDAMENTAL DUTY ("to develop a scientific temper, humanism, and spirit of enquiry and reform") requires us to overcome our blind fear of the uniform and fear of authority, and understand the limits of a policeman's powers. We need to understand what the law requires us to do, or not to do. It is true that the law requires us to cooperate with a policeman in the performance of his duty. However, the law also requires us to UNDERSTAND THE LAW itself, and what it empowers the policeman to do. If the policeman is acting in excess of his statutory powers, the law requires us to resist. A citizen's blind compliance with authority enables to State to encroach on the rights and privileges of all citizens. Regardless of his rank, if a cop phones us and asks us to meet him at the police station, there is ABSOLUTELY NO ...

Judges focus on procedural issues, and give only a passing glance at the Fundamental Rights of citizens. The plaints and grievances for which justice-seekers want redressal are totally ignored. Rich and powerful people are better able to overcome procedural hurdles with money power, and so they have a chance to succeed. But the ordinary citizens of India are usually stonewalled by procedural matters, and so they fail to get effective redressal. Like  ·  Comment  ·  Share

Who is biggest human rights violator in India? Judiciary. Why? Because... With the barest-minimum loincloth of "due process of law", our judiciary deprives thousands of people of their Life & Liberty every month, And it keeps them in jail month after month, without a trial. Corruption in magistrate's courts and sessions court is well know and widespread. People who can't afford to pay BAIL, BRIBES & LAWYERS' FEES stay in judicial custody for months, even years without a tria l. Evidently, everybody is fine with that. Not a squeak out of the Human Rights activists & intellectuals. Not a squeak out of the mass media. And damningly, not a squeak out of the judges of Higher Judiciary, custodians of our Fundamental Rights! If We The Citizens don't raise an outcry on this, SHAME ON US. Like  ·  Comment  ·  Share

The Indian State is keeping lakhs of people in jail without a trial for months and sometimes years, all in the name of maintaining law-and-order. It is called "judicial custody". By refusing bail and keeping people in overcrowded lockups, Indian police, public prosecutor and magistrate keep up the traditions of British ruling classes, showing the masses who is boss! The prevalence of lengthy judicial custody exposes the WILLFUL IGNORANCE OF WE THE PEOPLE. As long as you and I  are willing to look the other way and pretend to be unaware, our ruling classes will continue to systematically treat lakhs of our fellow-citizens like caged animals... until one day, it will be your turn, or mine. If you value your freedom, raise your voice against this evil practice. Don't remain a silent spectator. Like  ·  Comment  ·  Share