New Delhi:Taking an indirect dig at the Centre over the appointment of former Supreme Court Justice Abdul Nazeer as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah alleged that the judge has compromised his position. In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, he blamed the government and said "it is trying to become the judge" and added that "Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-dominated region and it will continue to remain so."
Q Vice-President has recently said in an alleged reference to the I-T Survey on BBC that these doctored narratives seek to run India down and need a bold counter. How do you see this?
Why should they bring India down? India can never be brought down by a media house. India is not so weak that it can be brought down by a media house or by anybody.
Q We've been witnessing controversial statements by the Union Law Minister and even by the Vice-President on the collegium system while the V-P recently said the scrapping of NJAC, by the Supreme Court, was a severe compromise of parliamentary sovereignty and disregarded the mandate of the people. Don't you believe that these statements have an ulterior motive?
The Supreme Court must not be brought into controversies. It is the last resort for justice. And I think, both the executive and the Supreme Court must get together and find a solution to it rather than coming into the open like this and that brings down the Supreme Court. Such things compromise the honour of the Supreme Court. I don't think that anybody in India would want the SC's supremacy to be brought down. I would suggest to all political parties and all leaders, for God's sake not to get into these controversial matters in this manner. We are actually dishonouring the SC.
Q But these statements are coming from the high echelons of the BJP?
I think the problem is if the government wants to now become the judge, then I think it is not a very good thing. All must fight against this. The matter should be sorted out. We want honest judges, who can deliver justice and if the government is wrong, then they can also put the government in the dock. That is how SC should be. It is the last resort for justice whether it is for the government or the common man.
Q How do you see the elevation of former SC judge Justice SA Nazeer as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, a month after his retirement?
I think the problem here is that the judge should not have accepted it. First, there should be a cooling period and that is what the government used to always do in the past. But, by appointing him, the government has dishonoured him (judge) also. Because now, in front of people, he appears to be the person, who has sided with the government's judgment. Whether it was the Triple Talaq or the Ayodhya judgment, and the other matters that the government intended to get the judgment to its favour. He had been part of that. So, he has already compromised his position. So, it is like the earlier Chief Justice, who was given a Rajya Sabha seat (referring to Ranjan Gogoi). Wasn't that also wrong? This is how they are lowering their position. Such things are lowering the image of the judiciary in the common man's eyes.
Q What do you have to say about Bulldozer politics? Do you feel sad when you see people enjoying and celebrating this? Has India changed?
It's a very sad thing. The government can't provide jobs. Somebody has been running a shop for 50 years and you just come and demolish it. This sends a very wrong message. Doesn't this show that they're trying or attempting to push them into the streets? What about his family, his children, who will pay their school/college fees? You have no place to live and this is something that should not have been done. This is not a democratic way of doing things.
I am very sorry that people are celebrating this. It's a very tragic thing. I hope that they realise that this nation is for all irrespective of caste, creed, or religion. We all have to strengthen this nation and by dividing this, we cannot strengthen the nation. It is unity in diversity. Even Dr. BR Ambedkar was very clear about it. He said that religion is right, but religion does not mean that it should be brought into the running of this nation. If that happens, then you are going to destroy the Constitution itself.
What is the role of religion in nation-building?
I think every Indian has a role in nation-building whether he is small or big.
LG Manoj Sinha has been saying that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is a free man. Is he a free man?
You search for him yourself. He was not allowed to go Jama Masjid to offer prayers. He is not a free man. There are so many controversies in his statement. And that is very unfortunate. That young man (Mirwaiz) has become a prisoner in his own house for the past three years. This is not democratic India. I think the government must realise that democracy means tolerance. He is part of India.
The political process in the region heats up after the abrogation of Article 370. There has been a complete clampdown on Hurriyat's properties and its office. What is the future of Hurriyat now?
Not only Hurriyat properties, but look at the media itself. It can't write the truth. The minute you say something, you're called to the police station. They harass and that is not what we expect. The government should be tolerant. Democracy functions when there are people, who can see where we are wrong and they correct us. They don't pull you down.