Human dignity lies at the core of constitutional democracy and must remain “non-negotiable”, former Union Law Minister and senior advocate Ashwani Kumar said in Delhi on Thursday while discussing his book, ‘Guardians of the Republic: Essays on the Constitution, Justice and the Future of Indian Democracy’.
The discussion, moderated by political theorist Neera Chandhoke, brought together Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, activist and author Yogendra Yadav, and author Gurcharan Das before a packed hall of around 100 attendees, including former Chief Justice of India G.B. Pattanaik and college students.
Reflecting on his motivation for writing the book, Mr. Kumar said, “In public life, history judges you — whether cruelly or objectively. Having witnessed some defining moments in the life of this nation, I felt compelled to put my views on record so that history knows where I stood.”
Speaking at the event, Mr. Tharoor said the book makes for a compelling case for dissent as a democratic necessity.
“Guardians of the Republic argues that dissent is not an obstacle to democracy but one of its essential safeguards,” he said. Mr. Yadav referred to an essay in the book on “bulldozer justice” and questioned the gap between judicial pronouncements and ground realities. “After all those landmark judgments, how is it that such practices continue? Isn’t that a joke?” he remarked..
