Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: As he faced an attack over his broadside against Supreme Court, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said the Constitution is for the people and elected representatives, being the repository of safeguarding it, are the "ultimate masters" as to what its content will be.
Addressing a function 'Kartavyam' at the Delhi University, he said he found it "inconceivably intriguing" that some have recently reflected that constitutional offices can be ceremonial and nothing can be far distanced from a wrong understanding of the role of everyone, constitutional functionary or a citizen.
Dhankhar's latest comments came as he faced criticism for his remarks that the Supreme Court was acting like a "Super Parliament", as it fixed a timeline for the President to decide on Bills sent to her.
"For any democracy, every citizen has a pivotal role. I find it inconceivably intriguing that some have recently reflected that constitutional offices can be ceremonial or ornamental. Nothing can be far distanced from a wrong understanding of the role of everyone in this country, constitutional functionary or a citizen," he said.
"According to me a citizen is supreme because a nation and democracy are built by citizens. Every one of them has a role. The soul of democracy resides and pulsates in every citizen. Democracy will blossom, its values will get heightened when citizens are alert, citizens contribute and what citizens contribute there is no substitute for that," he said.
At the function marking the celebration of 75 years of the Indian Constitution, he said the Constitution is encapsulated in the Preamble and it says 'We, the People of India.'
Emphasising that the "supreme" power is with people and no one is above the people of India, he said 'We, the People of India' under the Constitution have chosen to reflect their aspirations, their desires, their will through their public representatives.
"They hold the representatives accountable—severely accountable, on occasions—through elections. A Prime Minister who imposed ‘Emergency’ was held accountable in 1977. And therefore, let there be no doubt about it, the Constitution is for the people, and its repository of safeguarding is that of the elected representatives. They are the ultimate masters as to what the Constitution’s content will be," he said.
He also said there is no visualisation in the Constitution of any authority above Parliament, which is "supreme".
"If you hesitate to speak the right thing at the right time, to the right group and the right person, you'll not only weaken yourself, but also deeply wound those positive forces. Therefore, expression and communication are of utmost importance," he added.